Book 2: The Fine Line Between Friends and Foes
by LadyGrimR
Summary: Sequel to Howling and Hissing: Alyson returns. Edward may not. Bella disappears into herself. Things happen that chips away at Alyson's heart, and horror is not a word deep enough that can explain how Alyson feels. All due to a stupid little paper cut.
1. Chapter 1

"You're blood smells amazing."

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Preface:

I felt like I was in a virtual reality simulation where motions sensors were hooked up to everywhere on your body and all five or six of your senses were submerged into the game. I was barely breathing, my muscles were straining with adrenaline and my eye sight and hearing were sharp. There was no sound, sight, or smell that could escape my notice, yet I felt as if I were far away from the scene. Not a haze or anything. More like a disconnection from reality. Hence the simulation. I felt everything, but it just didn't feel REAL.

But I knew this was no game at all. The object of any game is to win; the object of this situation was to … save something dear to me. My body lets out a sob as my thoughts turn to that dream that I had, so long ago. So long ago, well it certainly feels like a long time ago. I felt so much older.

Alice told Bella there was a chance that they would not make it through this. Alice could not be here right now, because the sunlight was blinding all humans in the vicinity. Blinding the humans from not only the sun itself. But one that can run in the sun. The perfect decoy.

Bella, do you really think this is all about you? You think Edward Cullen is only dear to you? Guess again, my dear. It is the highest priority that Bella cannot be seen. Also, does Bella think she's the only one that can run across this square unnoticed?

This race of time, this race of will, this race against Bella couldn't have happened at the worst place possible. Our enemies are immense and hug the shadows. Once wrong move can wipe the Cullens, Bella, and me from the face of this Earth. The pressure on Bella, and ME, is huge and I felt that presence bear down on me with the intent to drown me.

Fuck. That.

I turn my back on the square, sprinting, through backstreets and side alleyways, only to find myself back at the square, further away from my destination.

My lips spread in a grimace and I grab onto the corner of the building I'm under.

Hell no, I am not sacrificing our lives for the bloodthirsty shadows watching us from afar, you must be on that heavy duty shit.

The clock tolled, heavily vibrating the air, street, my body, and the sun mockingly shines against my face, warming my blood, boiling my blood.

A deep growl runs through my chest as I disappear into the thick crowd of red, my own red stolen cloak camouflaged very nicely in this sea.

My eyes were glued to a figure across the large courtyard.

"No…" I breathed.

The sequel to Howling and Hissing will probably be slower updating because I haven't written too far into the book yet. I still have to rent the book from a library to get on track and everything. But the first few chapters I have already written so far.

I hope you enjoy…

Presenting: THE FINE LINE BETWEEN FRIENDS AND FOES; SQUEAL TO HOWLING AND HISSING.


	2. Chapter 2

I jerked awake from a lovely dream, stretching to wake myself and also to pick up my cell which was ringing annoyingly at me.

"Hello?"

"Hey Aly honey! We're coming home! Finally! God damn, these people really fuck up their lives and expect us to put the broken pieces together. But we're fine and coming back darling. In about a month."

I bust out laughing, glad to hear mom's voice. "Well… awesome! Can't wait to see you I'll even cook up a huge dinner when you come back and then go over a friend's house for the after party…Ewww, I know what you two do after a huge dinner. That's just gross."

I hear her giggle and speak to Dad. "Well honey, we're adults and you know what adults do. By the way, I don't want you pregnant before marriage young lady. If you feel the need to fuck someone, you better tell me and I'll put your ass on birth control."

I sigh loudly. "MOM! I'm still a kiss virgin! I've never been in that type of relationship. Jesus help me… bye mom!" Although that one time when Edward was so close to making my lips his… I shudder, completely wiping the thought from my mind.

She laughs evilly, and replies. "Well you are 16 now, I suspect you won't hang onto it too much longer. And good morning baby! Have a good day."

We both hang up.

I groan and turn over on my side, laying there peacefully, not thinking about anything.

That was only for a moment before I had to get ready for school, and I sigh.

I stand up, stretching my long body and shuffle over to my closet, deciding what to wear for school today.

I suddenly got a text, and I dove onto the bed to get my phone and opened it. Only to read a text from Alice.

~ You'll look sooo good in those dark skinny jeans in the shopping bag, and your purple long sleeved, yet slightly low cut top in the back of the closet. Enjoy! And oh, those heels will indeed make you a giant, but giants are gorgeous! ~

I laughs so hard I drop my phone and I have trouble composing myself to actually get the items described. Dear god she's a trip.

I hurried up, washing my face, brushing the teeth, clothes, heels, keys and wallet, I clipped that onto my jeans, and I was on my way to lovely old Forks High School.

I slid out of my car, parked right next to Edward, I backed in and he pulled right in, exiting our cars at the exact moment and I smile when he does a double take on me.

"Did you grow 3 inches again?" His smooth voice questioned me

I lift a leg, rolling the bottom of my pants to show the heels.

He raises an eyebrow and just edges past me. HAHA. I was about as tall as him in these heels and I fucking loved it!

I follow, and lean back against his Volvo, waiting for Bella darling to get her ass to school.

As Bella got here, I saw Quileute skin tone flash in the crowd and I pulled myself off the Volvo and disappeared myself.

I walked up to a Jacob Black, an awestruck expression on his face, but also mine. He's grown up, over the summer, significantly grown. He was taller than I was even in these heels, his hair was shorn to a few inches above his scalp, and he was huge.

I blinked, done from examining him and scrutinized his expression. He was floored, frozen, standing really still.

My eyebrows rose, and I got in his face, practically really easy now with the added inches, and I whispered his name slowly. "Jacob….? Are you okay…?"

His eyes turned to me, anguished, excited, angry, sad, and wanting.

"I have to go.." He pants deeply, running off so quickly.

I pause, and turn around to stare at the exact direction where he was, only to see empty space right behind Edward's Volvo.

My eyebrows furrow and I think to myself. * I'm going to find out whatever the hell happened here….*

And I turn my back to the parking lot, entering the building.

School ended quickly, and I hopped out of the door to see everyone going their own way. Alice detached herself from somewhere, possibly and more than likely Jasper and pranced herself to me to whisper, " I expect to see you at the party, Aly." She pauses, staring off into my face blankly, before her eyes clear. "And don't you dare wear any pants"

I struggle to keep a straight face as she dances away, and I snort with disgust.

Seeing as I had nothing to do whatsoever, I didn't have to work as the unannounced Dr. Hottie's secretary today, I sneaked away into my basement sound proof room to practice something I've avoided or rather haven't had a reason to practice for a long time

I pulled out my old flute case, yes flute, and sheet music, and a music stand. When I carefully put together the instrument, polish it, and tune it with the little tuner, I press my lips to the opening and warm up my cranky fingers.

Moments later, my fingers were flying over the keys, clear, soft notes flying through the air, trills and high notes, above register notes, easily getting hit, as I play a beautiful piece of music.

I lost myself in that music. There is nothing more satisfying then being a musician and being capable of producing such amazing sounds.

Alice texted me, saying that it was time to get ready for Bella's surprise, and I lick my tired my lips and put away my secret passion.

Once upstairs, I take my shower, dry off, and receive a text from Alice.

*Look in the clothing bag, and shoe box, and I would have loved to do your make up but I believe you can do that yourself. You better wear everything otherwise you're not getting in the house*

I scowl and look into the bag and see a pretty little number.

It was a tight, purple satin, had a box cut, and sat low on the breasts, it looked like in the little picture of how it's worn, it slimmed the body all the way to the knees, and definitely showed off feminine curves.

I growled in frustration and slipped the heels that went with the dress on first, then the dress, and finally, I sat myself at the mirror and lightly brushed on black eye shadow, eyeliner, and mascara.

All that took ten minutes and I sat back, staring at myself appreciatively. Tis as good as it's going to get, and I grabbed my clutch bag, keys, mints, and wallet, and walked out my door.

The dress was sort of easy to move in, the heels not too much, but I could make do without complaint, so I just made my way to Bella's new car.

We've hidden it at my place since she never really comes over here, and also I had the space in the garage.

I pull the black colored tarp away from the car, fold it carefully and place it in the backseat.

Her car really was a beauty and I sat myself in it, revved the engine up, purring back as it purred to me, and was on my way to the Cullen's' Residence.

I carefully pulled the car to the side of the house, easily hidden with how there property is, and I covered the car with the tarp, but I put a huge bow on the steering wheel, from the trunk of the car which I bought just for this occasion, and I smiled at Alice who smirked at me, looking me up and down and dragging me inside, to smooth down the dress, and whatnot.

Now….to wait for the birthday girl, and her knight.

A few minutes later Alice ushered me into the living room, with all the other beautiful people and sat me down next to her.

"Happy birthday, Bella!"

She blushed and looked around at all the decoration, and I stood and made my way over to her along with the rest of the family.

I would be the one to hand Bella the keys to her car, wrapped perfectly in a cute white box ,by yours truly, and it was to be gifted to her at the very end.

My own present to her was a gift certificate of 100 dollars to a new local bookstore, and also, a pretty silver charm bracelet with two charms in the box along with it. Not overdone, or nothing. Simple and cute, and I presented both gifts to her with a huge hug, big smile, and a kiss on the forehead, because as clumsy, and idiotic as she was I still loved her like a sister. She was adorable.

Alice gave me a small look and I nodded slightly, and Alice went on to persuade Bella into her own gift.

"Open mine and Edward's next." She chirped happily.

As I walked around Bella, to get the little box that was on the glass table.

Bella reprimanded Edward lightly and took her package.

I was inches away from the table when I felt a disturbing sense of dread, and a split second later, "Shoot."

My hair rose from the back of my neck and I spun around, just as Edward roars a loud , "NO!" and threw himself at Bella, shoving her back across the room….. Across the room towards me.

Her back slammed against me, forcing me to take the brunt of the fall…. into the same glass table.

My head knocked into the wall, and my back smashed the table, and Bella's weight forced the glass into my back even harder.

I let out a soft shriek, forcefully pushing Bella off and turning onto my stomach to relieve the pressure of glass digging into my back.

A terrifying sound, forced me to turn my head, grabbing at the carpet to stare at all SEVEN vampires, visibly restraining themselves from pouncing….on me?

There's a flash of blonde hair and pale skin and I'm suddenly in the arms of Carlisle, running as fast as he can, out of the house, towards someplace.

Me? What.. What happened? My mind was cloudy, dulled with the stinging of having glass dig through my ruined dress, and into my back. My eyes were wide staring at his face, examining his darkened eyes, and in complete shock.

Carlisle stopped making my hair fly forward and some dreads slap into some of the cuts, and I hiss softly.

He threw his head back to let out a loud, chest-rumbling howl, breaking the night air.

He slowly dropped his gaze to mine, eyeing me carefully. I my eyes were half-lidded, and I thought I was imagining the very dark eyes of Dr. Carisle Cullen.

Was he even breathing?

I give a choked sob when my mind catches up with my body, the glass in my back only to pause when he starts speaking.

He whispers with not breathing at all.

I heard answering wolf calls in the distance, and Carlisle declares.

"Alyson, you're blood….smells…. amazing."


	3. Chapter 3

I couldn't feel anything, I could only hear my own breath and the beating of my heart in my ear; I saw Carlisle's face taunt and no breathe moving from his chest.

Except for dulled touch and hearing, I could see everything that was going on. I definitely knew that my back was lacerated, bleeding, and imbedded with glass from that damn table.

I should have gone into shock, hysterics, ANYTHING. I should have passed out. But no, Alyson never passes out unless in a state of agony like the two times from James's attack. I was awake and fully comprehensible and strangely my brain knew to turn off my sense of feeling.

I felt the deep growls, thunderous noises, and arguing as many werewolves phased to their human forms and formed a semi circle around Carisle and I on their side of the line.

Their words were quick and to the point, because I heard every single second of the conversation.

" What the hell happened to her, Cullen? It looks mightily bad for you right now, but I'll let you explain." Sam growled.

"It was an accident, Bella cut herself on wrapping paper from her gift, and Edward mistakenly shoved Bella backward a little harder then necessary while trying to stop Jasper. Aly was in the way of the glass table that was behind Bella." He carefully draped me over his shoulder to reveal the shards of glass imbedded in the several bleeding cuts on my back, and they looked at each other in an almost silent communication before Sam held out his hands.

One of them called out. " It seems you guys take care of this Bella girl before Alyson."

Carisle growled loudly, forcing silence into the area. " We do care deeply for both. She has a soft spot in ALL of our hearts. If you dare suggest that Bella has a firmer standing in this family then Alyson, then I will skin the fur from your dead body."

There was complete silence as I stared with awe at Carisle.

" Dr. Carisle, thank you. We'll see to our own, and you check on Bella. She'll be back to normal in no time."

I could tell that Sam among several other wolves were very impressed with Dr. Cullen's protectiveness over me even on the grounds of an age old, treaty line.

I was carefully switched to very warm arms and I was watching Carlisle's face as Sam turned and I saw a very concerned, but also faraway look on his face… It confused me greatly.

I didn't pass out, yet my memory glazed over the rush to Emily and Sam's place and I found myself on the coffee table, stomach down, and hushed voices speaking quickly and some angrily as I felt smooth hands cut away fabric from my back. I was acting very docile, trying not to move, even twitching would put me in serious pain.

" You heard him, it was an accident. They were trying NOT to suck her blood."

"Yeah, that's pretty amazing, considering that he said that Bella's blood smelled good without her bleeding, yet between the two of them, Alyson's blood is much more potent and alarming."

All speech was lost when the caring hands turned to 'planning-to-be-cut-off hands' when they splashed alcohol on my back.

" HOLY FUCKING SHIT, I'M GOING TO FUCKING KILL THE SHIT OUT OF YOU." I scream, trying to heave myself up to throw myself at the offender, only to shriek and collapse onto the table, squirming, and twitching, as the alcohol worked its way into all cuts, washing out most of the glass as well.

Emily giggles loudly, actually, sitting on my ass. Suddenly a long, muscular Jacob Black appeared beneath the table, and casually wrapped his arms around my shoulders, the one place where the glass didn't catch, and I stared incredulously at him.

"Hey" I let out a small smile, but hiss loudly when I felt Emily's hands spill more alcohol into my cuts. I assumed he was there to hold my upper body down, or to just hold me. I was okay with either or. Alcohol really did hurt.

I heard many a 'trying to be silent' chuckles and I flip them off with my middle finger, not able to do anything in the position I was in.

"Yep she's definitely one of us, look at that … OW"

" Dude that's Sam's sister! You can't stare at her ass even if it's a nice ass. Dude he's going to fucking kill us when he hears what we've said."

"Oh fuck, man! We'll be 6 feet under."

Silence.

"Well at least it's a nice piece of ass that we're going under for."

"Agreed."

"I CAN FUCKING HEAR YOU DUMBASSES, YOU'RE NOT EXACTLY QUIET!"

I glare down at Jacob, who was trying to hide his chuckling.

"Chill, girl, chill. You'll kick their asses when I bake you your own muffins." Emily knows the way to a young woman's heart. I almost moan in anticipation of tasting sweets, and I settle down, nice and docile like a sleeping cat.

I heard yells of protest, and her laughing evilly. I mumble sleepily, muttering. " Are you done, yet?"

"Almost. Be patient!" She wraps my back up, asking me to sit up so she can fully wrap them around my chest. Jacob lets me go and I sit up carefully, holding my arms over my chest and turning to face Emily.

"Between us as girls…dammn, girl you are stacked at this age. Actually, you have an amazing body. How old are you?" She runs her hands through my dreads and looks me over.

"I'm sixteen…turned so in January." I get up from the table, slowly, flinching with the tight bonds.

"And you're 5'10"?" She raises an eyebrow.

" I don't know, last time I was measured by a doctor, I was 5'9". Haha, I was 5'7" about seven months ago before I moved here! Only 2 inches." I shrug and Emily hands me a large T-shirt which I would go ahead assume was Sam's and a sports bra. I carefully place my arms in it and lower across my bandages. Then I carelessly toss the shirt on top of it.

I knew exactly where she was going with this, and I may have found out my Dad, at least, was from this tribe, yet I know for certain that females are not supposed to activate the genes for werewolves. Oh yes, I have realized that I may end up phasing. It's totally amazing. I get to be the huge ass Amazon woman!

" Ooh, okay. Well. Alyson, Jacob can drive you back. Please go easy on the cuts."

She helps me off the couch, setting me against the door to quickly grab the freshly baked muffins from the oven and putting them in a heat friendly container and continued to help her cripple into Jacob's Dad's truck.

The ride home was too boring to even to account for at this second, so guess what! I slept the five minutes it took to get home.

Once at my own house, I waited until Jacob drove away to grab my keys and hop into my car. I sped off to the Cullens' residence at record speeds for a little car like this.

Call me paranoid, but I had this heavy feeling in my heart. A heavy feeling one has before something horrible happens. Like, a death perhaps…. No, not that feeling, it's something. Something I'm not getting. This feeling was not unlike having to run away to another state away from life long friends in a car gang, of a sort. I pull into the Cullens' driveway with a squeal of tires, a look of shock on my face.

Oh no.

The bond with ..Edward was going to be severed?

It definitely made sense. I slowly got out of the car, pursuing this thought as I slowly walked towards the front door.

Edward shoved Bella into me…Edward shoved Bella ….I'm the one that took the brunt of the damage, but he still 'hurt' Bella. Oh, god. The fucker is going to do something, I know it… I shoved the front door open and a wave of pure bleach hit my nose, and I gagged, covering my nose.

I just came in to notice that Alice had stepped out of the kitchen, and she froze, staring at me incredulously. She whispered.

"What are you doing here?" She looked away for a second and turned her gaze back on me.

" I came back to make sure nothing brash happened in my absence. I'm doing fine, Alice. Really! I just don't think it's you that I have to reassure…"

I cross my arms and head to the kitchen, where she just exit, and pause in the doorway, listening to their conversation.

And so is my luck that I seemed to eavesdrop at the best moment.

"His mother?" I heard Bella exclaim.

" Yes. Her name was Elizabeth. Elizabeth Masen. His father, Edward Senior, never regained consciousness in the hospital. He died in the first wave of the influenza. But Elizabeth was alert until almost the very end. Edward looks a great deal like her - she had the same strange bronze shade to her hair, and her eyes were exactly the same color green."

"His eyes were green?"

"Yes.. Elizabeth worried obsessively over her son. She hurt her own chances of survival trying to nurse him from her sickbed. I expected that he would go first, he was so much worse off than she was. When the end came for her, it was very quick. Ity was just after sunset, and I'd arrived to relieve the doctors who'd been working all day. That was a hard time to pretend - there was so much work to be done, and I had no need of rest. How I hated to go back to my house, to hide in the dark and pretend to sleep while so many were dying.

I went to check on Elizabeth and her son. I'd grown attached - always a dangerous thing to do considering the fragile nature of humans. I could see at once that she'd taken a bad turn. The fever was raging out of control, and her body was too weak to fight anymore.

She didn't look weak, though, when she glared up at me from her cot.

"Save him!' she command me in the hoarse voice that was all her throat could manage.

" I'll do everything in my power' I pomised her, taking her hand. The fever was so high, she probably couldn't even tell how unnaturally cold mine felt. Everything felt cold to her skin

"You must' she insisted, clutching at my hand with enough strength that I wondered if she wouldn't pull through the crisis after all. Her eyes were hard, like stones, like emeralds. "You must do everything in YOUR power. What others cannot do, that is what you must do for my Edward."

"It frightened me. She looked at me with those piercing eyes, and for one instant, I felt certain that she knew my secret. Then the fever overwhelmed her, and she never regained consciousness. She died within an hour of making her demand."

All the breath left my body in that instant. Hearing what I heard, just now. I had a solid hunch that she knew. Edward's mother KNEW that her son would be needed in another lifetime, impossible for mere humans, but she saw in Carisle that it wasn't…she knew alright. She definitely knew.

My gaze traveled upward to the ceiling and I winked. Elizabeth Masen, I'll make sure your son is whipped into submission for Bella. I believe that's what fate had in store for him.

My moment alone with Elizabeth was interrupted by a subtle movement from the corner of my eyes and I whipped myself around to stare at Edward who was leaning against the wall. Still disturbed, he was very much beautiful, the expression of anguish on his face. Ah..so he was listening to them too..

That was the only last second of calm I would see for a while…

Carlisle, Alice and Edward walked Bella out of the kitchen and she was preoccupied with Edward while I just looked on from the side lines. I'm not going to lie. They were making a bigger deal about Bella's injuries then mine and it hurt..it hurt…it hurt bad.

Flashback:

["Who are you? Funny, there was no mention of you…" He grins, yet I circle him back at his pace, staying silent. "Do the others not care for you? Do they only care about Bella? They view you as unimportant, my dear. Join me. Become my mate, and we will wreck revenge on all of the Cullens." He sneered at me.

"Does it bother you, my love, that your name wasn't even mentioned, that no plans were centered around. This means, dear Alyson," He pauses getting close to my face again. "This means, that to the Cullens. You have no standing. You are nothing. This is not part of THEIR story. You mean nothing to them. Wonder why they don't directly ask you anything? Directly center plans around you?"]

End of Flashback

I shake the thought from my head, a growing sense of dread feeling my body.

I shakily take a deep breath and look up. Straight into Carlisle's face. I had been so lost in thought and the flashback, that I didn't notice Carisle stand directly in front of me.

I froze, my eyes carefully searching his. His face was semi-carefully composed, as he breathed lightly and pressed a kiss to my forehead. I could see the tension in his forehead and the corners of his eyes.

I looked at him confused for a second as he walked out the door.

He knows.. He knows something.. I know for all hell that wasn't a good bye kiss…It couldn't be…

I fall to my knees, my hands covering my face as I silently and tearlessly let out a sob.


	4. Chapter 4

When I woke up the next day, I felt off, to put it simply. Not only was I taller, I knew something was going to happen. It felt sort of like cramps. This thing was biting at my gut and a constant buzz at the back of my head seriously put me on the brink of hysteria. It was annoying the fuck out of me.

I took the longest shower possible that I could without being late for school and dressed as slowly as possible. I was numb; I was lethargic; I was dull and I was tired.

I stood in the background, watching the Cullens that showed up to school today, and Bella. Between me and Alice, there were a mass of texts back and forth the entire day. If I wanted to pay attention to school from the beginning, I really couldn't now from what Alice was telling me.

She was seeing many, many instances where the Cullens, Bella, and I would end up unhappy and miserable. The one thing that remained the constant was that Edward was leaving Bella.

Can you say "Predicted"? One more thing she said was for me to watch over Bella and that she'd be in contact with me as much as she can. This serious Alice was really scaring me. What the fuck is Edward doing…

With Alice and Jasper in Alaska, Edward frozen over, Bella moping because of Edward, and me in tune to all of this, the day was shitty. So, I sent texts to all of my Vampires' cells.

~ If I'm needed, call me. Keep me in touch with whatever happens please, it's just too moody right around you guys right now. LOL~

I'm sure I'll get my ass kicked later on for the flippancy, but right now, I'm supposed to be happy because life is definitely too short.

So like hell, I'm going to be caught up in the mood and sit around and mope like all the rest.

My phone rang at the fucking dead of night and I groaned, reached over and picked up.

My voiced murmured, " Alyson's phone here, please leave a message after the tone and she will be sure to answer whatever question you have at a godly hour, unlike this one for sure. Please call in the next 10 hours…."

"Ahahahhahahahha, you're so cute, Aly. We're at the airport. We finished and at the last minute we're hopping a plane that is heading to Port Angeles! Would you do us a huuuuge favor and pick us up honey?"

I sighed, turned over to look at the clock.

3:15 flashed to 3:16... AM.

"Okay….what time is the plane landing?" I rubbed sleep out of my eyes and put on my glasses, slowly heaving myself out of bed.

"Around 5:30 AM sweety! Thank you so very much! We'll be sure to put 2,000 dollars in your account cause we woke you up. Hehe. Love you sweety, and see you at the airport."

"Mhmm" I sighed and hung up, dressing in my fur coat and pulling on some jeans over pajamas. I slip into some boots, while brushing my teeth and getting ready for an hour and a half drive to Port Angeles.

I made sure to bring my ipod and a converter to blast music for the long drive.

Once I pulled into a parking lot near the airport, I sent a text to Ma, telling her to call me to wake me up once they land, and then I proceed to pass out for 30 minutes.

I awaken with a start when my loud ring tone blares through the soft music, I sleepily hit the Open call button and I groggily answer the phone.

"Alyson at your service?"

"Hey hun! We're at the baggage claim right now, we're at the first set of double doors that are automatic."

"Okay, Dad, be right there."

I hang up and start the car.

The sky was dark, yet the airport was super bright and had me more awake and bothered by its noise. I followed the directions that Dad gave me and waited by that specific doors for only a few minutes until a knock on the windshield ordered me to pop open the trunk.

Sighing, I did as ordered and left the car in idle while slipping to the back seat where I expertly maneuvered myself around a tight seatbelt and was laying down, stretched out as far as my legs could go to cover the entire backseat.

"Hey Aly, are you hungry? I sure the hell am, and we're going to a McDonalds right now. That airplane food was shitty disgusting. Blegh." Mom slipped into the passengers' seat and patted my head.

"Hello to you too! Hehe, sure, I can use a smoothie or something. Not that hungry at all."

Dad started driving after packing up everything in the trunk. " Awesome, I want at least 2 Big Mac's" He grinned, fist bumped my shoulder and I fist bumped his back.

"Glad to have you guys back in the Green World of Forks." I snicker sarcastically. "Who fucked up their lives to have you fly over there for free?"

" Some Senator that decided to cut off the fundings to some research project, and shit. Too many details that could get us killed, but anyways, that's the basics. Fucker really had to relocate and everything, stupid idiot. But anyways, honey, how have you been? Any boys I should know about? I heard about this Cullen boy that's been getting cozy with you? Should I go over to his parents' house and have a little talk with them?"

I just about fell out the car laughing my ass off. " Oh my god! NOO!, Hahaa, me and Cullen are not together. We're best friends and he already has a girlfriend." I snicker quietly, shaking my head.

"Best friends, hmm? You know me and Madre over here were best friends for years before finding out that we liked each other, and it has been bliss and ecstasy ever since that day.." Dad looked over to Mom with a certain glint in his eye and she smirked right back at him pointing to the dashboard.

"Eyes on the road buddy."

" Meowr, yes ma'm" He winks and turns he eyes to turn into the parking lot of a Mickie D's.

Twenty minutes later, I had actually gotten a sandwich and was happily eating it in the car with laughter coming from the front seat.

Seeing my family meant the world to me, and had shielded me from the emotional dealings of the Cullens. I was happy and excited and upbeat.

The hair on the back of my neck stood up. As I glanced up towards the front windshield, I saw a flash of red and a flash of yellow before a car smashed into the driver's side of my Toyota at top speed.

Before any of us could scream or yell, the car flipped over several times, glass breaking all over the place, scratching me, imbedding into my skin, and metal crunching. I released a loud sob as I realized that the metal on the driver's side was totaled, around my leg and that I couldn't move it at all.. I couldn't even feel it..

I was jerked all over the place, head slamming into the window, but other than that, the seatbelt and the fact my leg was jammed saved me from flying out the car as it rolled. Then, the passenger's side flung itself into a cement block and I cry out , ducking down as far as I could, bending in half and hold onto my head as tears started running down my face, breathe wheezing in and out of my mouth, and heart pounding as disbelief settled inside me.

There was a sudden silence and a quick moment of conscious loss before my mind shocked itself back into working order, and I let out a loud sob. No, no, god no…

I couldn't see anything, I had to shut one eye or risk getting blood in it, and the car looked so bad from the inside.

This isn't happening… no, not now…

"MOM, DAD!" I screamed, and couldn't see a thing. I sobbed trying to pull myself up to the middle console, and I just couldn't. I really couldn't … it just hurt so bad: my head, my leg, and there was blood, just so much blood. I let out another sob and searched for my phone, my hands oddly steady as I dialed 991.

My chests heave as one eye becomes blinded by blood and I choke out. " PLEASE help! There's.. There's been a terrible accident.." I sob again, trying to wipe the blood and tears away from my face.

"Okay, young lady, please calm down and tell me at what intersection if you can."

"I can't see.. There's blood all over the place. I know we passed a McDonalds."

"Okay, young lady, what's your name and will you please stay on the phone with us? A squad has been sent out and will be there momentarily."

"I'm Alyson Porter. I'm 16 years old and I live in Forks, Washington…" I leave off beginning to gasp as lights flash in my eyes. Blue, red, and white lights. " There's an ambulance here. Oh god, I can't move my leg. Please help…" I drop the phone and scream for the EMT's.

"HURRY! My parents first! Please, let them be okay, please. Oh my god, I can't lose them.. Oh my god.." I start sobbing uncontrollably when I notice that the guy can't open the door.

The car itself was probably totaled, I know the inside was fucked up. The side where my leg was pinned was pinched inward, the metal badly scrunched and folded. The windshield was spider webbed horribly, the other side of the car was just as pinched and crushed as the one I was pinned to and the back windshield, the back wind shield was gone. All windows were completely decimated and the frame for those windows were nonexistent. I saw that they could only get us out through the driver's side.

They brought the Jaws of Life to pry open the driver's side door and I cover my face in my hands.

My mom said that when they had to get the Jaws that the accident was very serious.

I was watching barely keeping myself from screaming in hysteria as they glanced at me quickly before cutting the driver's door out and pulling a badly bleeding Dad and Mom out of the car.

A horrible feeling flashed through me and my eyes widen as Mom's eyes open briefly and mouthed the words that set me out right sobbing.

I plastered myself to the broken door and start balling and reaching for my mom. They were working on creating an opening so they could cut away the metal that was pinning my leg. I watched the EMT's pronounce my parents dead; the checking of the vein in the neck and the shaking of their heads tipping me off. Tears dripped down my face as I heard what they said.

"Father, dead on impact it looks like, rigor has already set in."

"Mother, looks to be dead from head trauma."

I broke down, sobs shaking my body as tears continued to run and run down my cheeks.

I started screaming and thrashing when I felt the metal dig into my leg harder and instantly the pressure stopped.

I quieted, an EMT climbing into the car to check my vitals and then to run the diagnostic on my leg still pinned to the metal.

"Sweety, sweety, please calm down.. Okay they're working on your leg, to be completely honest we're losing options on what to do to get you free.

I stared at her, completely terrified, before nodding mutely and laying back on the backseat.

After completely removing the driver's door, steering wheel, and front seat, they were able to cut the metal down to just before it pinches onto my leg, and that took a complete 1 hour.

The EMT was by my side, calming me down when I felt the metal pinch viciously into my leg several times. The EMT already had a neck brace on me, and was continuously taking vitals, almost desperately.

With sudden, mind numbing pain, and a loud scream, I felt fresh air on my leg, and cheers erupt from ..bystanders and the crew? A firefighter, carefully removed the metal from around my leg, or what once was my leg.

The EMT by my side shouted several things, and everyone shaped up into action immediate.

I was carefully handled out of the car, the faithful EMT by my side actually forcing me to look away from my parents' bodies under a sheet as a male one had lifted me out of the car.

My leg… looked awful. It felt broken, and it felt as if the top layer of skin was scraped off.

In all honestly it looked better than it felt, slightly. Skin was definitely broken and missing in some places, and yeah. I'll leave it at that.

My throat was sore and throbbing by the time they got me onto a stretcher. It was when they touched the leg that I let out a shriek, and jerking my leg from the touch as I try and cradle it. They carefully placed my body in the correct position, and continued assessing me, shining lights in my face, wiping away blood that crusted over my eye to shine a light in that eye and everything else.

The head wound was still bleeding, and the eye quickly became covered again.

Although I was in a daze, I remained conscious while being driven to the hospital, hearing their whispered conversation.

"How in the hell did she survive with minor injuries? The car is totaled, and doesn't even look like a car anymore. Even the drunk driver of the other car is dead… lord help this poor girl, she survived an impossible and fatal accident…"

I just stare up at the ceiling, tears slowly making their ways down my cheeks as I stare reality in the face.. My parents… are gone.

Hours later, I found myself laying down in a white bed, staring up at a white ceiling.

My leg was broken in four different places, and fractured all the way to the knee. They put at least 10 metal pins in the bone and had me in a cast all the way to the thigh. I had stitches in my head, right above the temple, and my face was clean of all the blood. They had me on light meds, and an IV.

Other then that, I could go 24 hours after the emergency operation.

Tears flooded my vision as I let out an anguished cry: the funerals for my parents would be held where they married. They told me it was in Savannah, Georgia.

I would make arrangements immediately, tomorrow.

Right now all I wanted to do was sleep for days. And wake up 1 year ago…

And you know, the saying that everything happens in not just ones or twos, or somethings? I thought that was the end.

My phone rang and I picked it up:

"Alyson… this is Edward. Just calling you to say that we can never be friends again, I've hurt Bella and by being friends with you that would put Bella in danger. I am dangerous to her. I can't live with the fact that she'd be in danger as long as I'm around her. I am deleting your number from all of our cell phones and we will remove ourselves from your existence entirely. I wish you good fortune in your future endeavors. Goodbye."

He hung up. And I let my phone fall to the bed.

My heart shattered. As if it wasn't in a good state before his call.

After a few minutes of complete silence, the busy signal started to emit from my phone, and I ripe the heart monitor off, and IV drip out, not caring at all. Alarms and beeps rang throughout the room and I fall onto my hands and knees screaming into the floor, my face pressed into it as I shamelessly let out all my frustrations, sadness, grief, and anger.

Somebody wordlessly turned off the machines, and sat on the floor, hugging me and I, not caring who it was, hugged them back with all my strength as I wail and bawl into the person's shoulder.

I cry all of it out: The fact that my parents were dead. The fact that my other set of parents were leaving, going out of my life for all of eternity till the day I die, my family leaving, my best friend eradicating himself from my life, forcing the severance of this bond.

The most heartbreaking thing that got me sobbing, was that Edward was severing the tie between him and me just because Bella would be in so called danger.

I felt as if my hole world imploded. I felt as if I, myself, have imploded, leaving everything out of place.

My heart felt literally to be in pieces as Edward's last words shoved themselves into my mind, renewing my anguish and causing me to cry harder into the person's shoulder.

We can never be friends again…

Okay…. I had to stop several times to try not to cry. I did let a few tears slip. Dear god…the pain Alyson has to go through…

Let me know about your thoughts please.


	5. Chapter 5

WARNING: SLIGHT EXPLICIT CONTENT, PROBABLY NOTHING NO ONE HAS NEVER SEEN. IF YOU CAN READ STORIES ON IN A LOT OF THESE CATEGORIES, YOU CAN READ THIS, BUT IF YOU'RE UNDER 15 YEARS OLD, I'M SORRY. HIDE THIS CHAPTER FROM YOUR MUMMY.

After the private funerals of my parents and the reading of the wills, time seemed to blur past me. I had quit the job at the hospital, seeing as how I really did not need to work and I had unfortunately moved in with Charlie and Bella because under the law I was still a minor. The house and business were left to me, because my brother stated that he didn't want it. He signed his half of everything over to me upon which I almost broke down, but held myself together. Barely.

It was a little hard to maneuver in a hard cast but somehow I did it. Bella's melancholy attitude was affecting everyone in the house and made me depressed as well. I mean I did miss the Cullens, especially my best friend, but I guess for the ones that are in love, it's more of a heart crushing.

But wasn't that what I felt when he called?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~OCTOBER~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The pins were removed from my leg, and the cast was downgraded to knee and below. I was able to wear crutches, again, and became quite agile in them. I still had help from all the friends from school carrying my books and everything. Push come to shove, I wanted my grades to not suffer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~NOVEMBER~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cast was completely removed. Whoopdeedoo.

I don't smile much anymore. Yes their moving has made me heartbroken for my friends.

And for my best friend.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~DECEMBER~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Semester finals and Christmas break.

When I went to my former home, I was immediately stopped by a huge figure covered by a tarp.

As I went to uncover the tarp, a sense of recognition flooded me and I took a breath before uncovering the entire thing with a flourish… only to stare in shock of seeing a brand new car…

In fact.. The same car that I had chosen for Bella. The keys were on the dashboard I saw as I opened the door, staring at it numbly. As I sat in the leather, I smelled it. And promptly burst into tears. The grief of a few months finally catching up with me as I lay on the steering wheel, after shoving the huge bow on it away.

In a few hours, when it had gotten dark, I received a phone call and answered my new phone with a small voice.

"Hello?"

There was several minutes of silence and I did think of hanging up, yet something told me to stay on the phone as long as possible.

A smooth velvet voice spoke to me, yet I could distinctly hear the underlying tones of anguish, pain, and anger. "Merry Christmas Alyson…"

I didn't get a chance to squeak out a reply before he hung up and I was sobbing once again.

"Nooo, you fucker… look what you're doing to all of us.. Bella…me…Charlie…"

I stumbled out of the car and released a primal scream, knees and hands hitting the floor. I held it together, pushing myself to drive to where I remember where the 'date' with Edward was. I jogged through the trees, only limping the last few minutes as I collapsed in the beautiful meadow, my breath puffing in the air.

I let out a gut wrenching sob. I fumbled with the cell phone before pressing the Send button and holding my breath as I stared sightlessly across the meadow.

"Hey Alyson, sweety, what's the matter? You didn't come back from the grocery store."

I hiccup, having to breathe hard as tears ran down my face with renewed vigor.

" Charlie… he… he… gave me Bella's car." I sobbed hysterically, for several minutes as Charlie tried to comfort me via phone.

"Alyson! He gave you.. . A car?"

"Yeah… you see over the summer last year, the Cullens and I went to a car auction and brought Bella a car. The auction's profit went towards a Non profit organization, so they really didn't buy it, they donated money to an organization, and the consolation prize just happened to be a car that would be perfect for Bella. It was a birthday present from all of the Cullens and me."

I sobbed the entire story to him, but he being used to my condition and sob-speak could understand perfectly fine.

" And.. And he GAVE it to me… like… what am I supposed to do with a car that I HELPED pick out?"

We spoke for several more hours until the cell phone warned me that it would cut off if I didn't stop, and I reluctantly let go of Charlie, and laid in the cold ground of the meadow for a few more hours.

I lay. Stare at nothing, Think about nothing. Just lay.

On the way back to the car, I pass by a tree that seemed to have a surreal glow to it, though I know it's the particular lighting in that area, but I approach the tree and kneel at it.

Now I remember.

This was the tree where I locked dangerous emotions about Edward up in my mind. Perhaps this tree would help me again?

I leaned against the tree, and fell into a fitful sleep, my exhausted body gratefully falling into sleep.

Again I was in the safe room, and this time there was another safe with seemingly hundreds of thousands locks on it, and the original safe had old looking locks, and then newer locks on top of them. I pour all the emotions I could into that one little box.

Anguish. Anger. Fear. Sadness. Depression. Hate. Anxiety. Helplessness. Worry. Doubt. Despair. Loneliness. Hurt. Stress. Shock.

I followed what I did last time, locking every single lock and then throwing the keys to those locks in a separate safe, and then turn my back on the safe, walking away to the land of consciousness.

I felt immensely better, and a small smile graced my lips as I watched the sunlight filter through the branches of the trees.

I took a few minutes to gather myself and returned the rest of the way to the car, just staring at it for a few seconds. I dislodge the bow carefully, placing it in the backseat and start the car.

It was a very nice car.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~JANUARY~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As of the New Year, I have found a perfect new way to monitor my emotions and keep in check. I had gone ahead and signed up for a Cheerleading and Tumbling gym class near the University of Washington. It's 3 hours away from Forks, but with the way I drive in the new car, I guarantee that I'll arrive in less than an hour and a half.

The thing I told Charlie to allow me to go everyday after school? The truth. I've been quite honest to Charlie about everything that has happened; he's been my shoulder to lean on when I needed to just lean on somebody and he's been listening to me. So naturally he allowed me to go with the decision that it would help my mental health. He also had another daughter like figure to work with, so I'm sure he felt the relief from my end.

Classes didn't start yet, but the All-Star team of the Gym did. I was planning on checking it out When I started class on Friday.

On that Friday, I headed directly to the new gym that I definitely made it to, in just an hour and 15 minutes. I followed directions I got from the internet, and came upon the large gym.

I took a deep breath, grabbed my bag of changing clothes, and the like and I walked in.

They even had a receptionist. I stood in a decently long line, waiting for my turn. I looked around reading several quotes and looking at several products that were for sale. Everything from tumbling shoes, to sports drinks, and then even gymnastics leotards.

When it was my turn, I approached the counter, and handed her my newly required license..

"Hello, Mrs. Davis, this is Alyson Porter. I emailed you about a week ago about this class and also the All-Star team?"

" Oh yes, hunny. The tumbling class is 3 times a week, depending on your skill level. We'll need to assess your skill today, and also I'm not sure if the coach of the team is accepting after the tryout date. It was last November. I can see what I do, but I doubt that they will let you on, or even try out. Please fill this out, and we'll see about that skill level of yours."

I nod, my eyes wide as I step to the side and begin to fill out an application form, checking off the All-Star Cheerleading options. I hand it back towards her and she points through the double doors.

"Change into your attire, and someone will be out there with your shortly."

I nod, again, and hurry off into the gym, feeling a soft breeze of perfect air conditioning and I relax just a little bit before heading into the women's bathroom.

When I return, there was a few guys on the blue mats just talking.

For real? Guys have to assess me?

"Alyson Porter?"

"Right here!" I call and jog up to them, tying my hair back into a high ponytail and bending down to tie my shoes tighter.

I was wearing a black sports bra and black shorts that were a little form fitting.

" I'm Josh, this is Ian, and this is Blake. We're some of the male cheerleaders from the All-Stars. And we're some of the coaches."

I raise an eyebrow. " All-Stars is co-op?"

"Hell yeah! We get first dibs on some flexible chicks!"

I just stare at the one.. I think his name was Ian, and the others just smack the back of his head.

"That may be true, but we don't go over the entire team. We just went through half of them."

My jaw drops and I put my face into my hands. "I'm working with idiots.."

"Hey now! Just for that we're going extra hard on you. Let's see if you can tough this out. 10 laps around this mat. 50 push ups, 200 crunches, and 30 lunges. Go!"

"Ay, ay captain." I roll my eyes at Josh and have to laugh my ass off when he attempts to swat the back of my head, I dodge, a grin making its way on my face before starting the warm-up.

Once done, I was thoroughly warmed up and the three guys laid out, very lazily and commanded me to do some things.

" Standing Cartwheel." Done

"Standing Roundoff" Done

Ian smirks. " Okay Mrs. Hotshot. Standing Back handspring."

I execute one perfectly. " Alright we see you have the basics down. 2 standing back handsprings."

I execute them as directed, looking to them.

Blake nods. " Good, Standing back handspring, back tuck."

I stand still for a moment, and sigh lightly. I execute the back handspring, and the back tuck is a little shaky, but I land it.

" Bullshit, you can do better than that." Josh reprimands me and I stare at him scared for a moment before doing it better.

" Good, you have the standing tumbling down. You want to try a standing full?"

I back up, sweating. "Ummm…..okay?"

Blake stands up and acts as my spotter. " Okay, you're going to step back into it to get the momentum, but you know what to do, right?"

I nod before, taking a deep breath, and throwing myself back, twisting once and landing.

" Ooohhhh , landed that." I smirk at Josh and Ian before turning to Blake for the advice he was giving.

I nod to him before he steps away, but still close enough.

I don't step this time, and flawlessly execute the standing full, with a squeal of glee.

I heard clapping from the guys and I roll my eyes at them before dragging myself over to them and sitting.

"Rest up for the running tumbling now. We won't go easy on you now that you have your standing full. Hehehe"

I roll my eyes and start talking to Blake, the nicer of the trio.

About ten minutes later, all three of them stand and point to the mat again.

" Okay: List in this order. Running of course:

Round off, Back handspring

Round off, 2 back handsprings

Round off, 3 back handsprings

Round off 2 back handsprings, back tuck

Round off 3 back hand springs, back tuck

Round off 3 back handsprings, full

Round off 3 back handsprings, back tuck, punch front, round off 3 back hand springs, full. If you do the last one then you may join our club as the bad ass tumblers."

They all smirk and set themselves around the mat for any spotting. Aww they were sweet. Though it's not as if I need it.

I complete the first 5 flawlessly.

I had to redo the round off, 3 back hand springs full, but then the final thing I had to do.. Fucking bitches, they want to kill me or something right?

For real. I was already sweating and breathing heavily, but I start in a corner and run through the round off back hand springs, after the back tuck, instead of landing and sticking, I had to immediately throw a sort of front tuck, and go off to where I started, with the round off, 3 back handsprings and then I finish with a lofty full!

"FUCK YEAH!" All four of us scream and I run at them and jump on them cheering my lungs off.

We suddenly hear a " Ahem" and I pause from my jumping on Josh to see a few of the cheerleaders in uniform, complete with hair, ribbons, and make-up.

They looked pissed.

I stared at them and then back at the boys. " Oooh…" I took a step away from them and smile sheepishly.

" Well, well. If it isn't a fat ass whore who can't keep their hands to themselves. Josh, Blake, and Ian belong to US!"

" Now shoo, you over stayed your welcome here."

My jaw drops. Like for real? This bitch wants to try me. " Ooh, hold on, hold on. Who the hell are you calling whore? You look like one with that skirt hiked up a few inches more than it should fall. And guess what? You're calling me the whore? You should look at yourself when these three get what they want from you three. Pshh, please, at least I keep my legs closed to keep men interested."

I turn and pick up my stuff and storm out, pissed off to the chorus of several " Ooooh'''s and "Burneddddd!"

I went out to Mrs. David and quietly sat behind her desk, she had seen me and was mothering me so quickly. I speak quietly to her.

"So you think I made it onto the team, Mrs. Davis?"

"Sweety, hell yes, you made it, girl you can out-tumble a lot of the guys. If you start 2 person stunting, you'd be rivaling them along with the girls. Like you aren't doing that already." She laughs, and nudges me, and I can't help but allow a smile to cross my face.

"Thank you so very much, what tumbling class am I in?"

"Hunny, the cheerleading squad has it's own classes. Plus if I do say so myself, you're more advanced then are most advanced class. You have a standing full."

I grin, wrapping an arm around her. " HELL YEAH! This is so awesome!"

"Now we have to measure you for your uniform. I'll be write in, so down to your panties."

I blush a little before scurrying towards the bathroom, and I strip to just my underwear, my arms effectively covering my breasts.

" Oh don't be like that, sweet cheeks, Daddy'll play nice."

I jump, whirl around and stare at Josh, a grin on his face. The grin was lecherous but completely harmless, so I just glare at him.

He laughs, holding up the tape measure and clipboard. "I'm sorry, but Mrs. Davis had something to do really quickly, and I doubt you'd want our girl friend's to measure. They tend to over or under measure people and put them in too tight, not that I have a problem with that, or too big uniforms. So I figured, I'm on neutral grounds, and it's a win-win situation!"

I snarl at him and nod. " If you try anything, I swear to god and to all that is holy, I will fuck you up." I hiss the last few words and walk over to him, staring him in the eye. I was almost as tall as him anyways, and he looked seriously surprised by the fact right now.

He gulps nervously, and nods. " Yeah, yeah, Princess, I got it. Plus, I actually am loyal to my girlfriend, I'm not the one that cheats."

He begins by measuring my hips at the widest point, and I breathe softly contemplating his words. " Your… she cheats on you?"

He hums a confirmative, writing down figures before moving to my abdomen. He had to pause a little and whistle appreciatively at my abs. I felt him touch them, and I almost lean in to his warm touch.

" Girl, girl, girl. You may have some enemies with the guy cheerleaders pretty soon. And yeah, I have proof of it, but unlike what you said earlier, though I'm sure that's just the case with Ian and Blake, I love this girl."

I keep my face carefully composed.

" I may have no experience with having a boyfriend, but I believe it's common sense that if a girl or guy hurts you so many times, and can't seem to control it, either you have to leave the relationship, or you try and approach your significant other and talk some sense into her. Does she know that you know?"

He slaps at my hands, and I unhopefully lower them from my breasts. If he liked my curves, he kept very quiet about it, or just wasn't interested in me.

I was starting to like Josh. He appeared to be a mindless jock at first. But… there's really something underneath that.

He was measuring underneath my breasts now, and was behind me, taking down the measurements.

" It's a little more complicated then common sense. Plus love makes sense go out the window. It's just how it is. I'm sure you'll find that someone that you'd go cling and hang onto like a retard very soon. Okay hun, I'm not gay, and I like looking at breasts, I'm sorry. I have to measure over the nipples now."

I only shrug and raise my arms and he carefully measures that line. I was sort of surprised he didn't try and steal a feel.

I tug on the sports bra, and shorts when he was done, and lean against the door, merely watching as the girl that tried to cuss me out glared across the gym at me.

I close my eyes, whispering. " I would go stupid for my best friend. He… he had to leave, suddenly. And he left behind his girlfriend, it was serious."

" Girl, the only way someone would go stupid for someone else, was if they had the deepest connection possible. And that connection only fit's the profile for one type of love. You're a smart kid, you figure it out. I'm sure it'll come to you sooner or later. But remember, if you want to make your move, then you would have to make it as soon as you recognize those feelings. Otherwise he'll be snapped up as quick as a whistle."

I lower my head, tears about to come down my face, but I hold them back, just barely. " As for your woman, she wants you just for image purposes… Be careful with her, she's a manipulative bitch, I can tell already. Know when enough is enough, Josh. You only have 1 heart, and that one heart can only be broken so many times."

" It seems as if you're speaking from experience."

"I've locked away the pieces of my heart, long ago. I'm not sure if there's ever going to be the chance to unlock it and repair."

I grab my bag and head to my car, tears rolling down my face, silently.

Several hours later I was slowly doing homework in the meadow, just barely able to keep my A's up. I was spread out on a blanket, a light jacket hugging my body as the meadow allowed the intense sunlight to warm me.

Dreamland:

I was giggling as Edward and I roughhoused in the meadow, we were on the forest floor, wrestling and rolling around trying to get the better of each other.

It was a warm day Edward was shirtless, his skin glistening in the sunlight, and I had a sports bra on, my sweat making me glisten.

Surprisingly I was holding my own against Edward, and somehow, I ended on top of him, holding his arms above his head.

I hum, seductively, lowering my lips to his, centimeters of space separating us and I whisper. " Now isn't this a precarious position?"

He lets out a loud growl and I felt my back hit the ground with a loud thud, my arms held above my head now.

Edward, through with talking, had shoved his lips against mine, his cold, delicious tasting lips, shoving his tongue through my lips, not even asking for permission and we battled for dominance inside my mouth. Once my hands were free, I had clenched them in his unruly, wild, sexy as fuck bronze hair.

I heard him growl, and I smirk as I pull back, whispering breathlessly. " I. Won."

He only returns the look with a smirk of his own, and a wicked grin on his face. " Are you so sure about that?"

I felt his cold, large hand down my pants, stroking my lips, down there, and I had to moan so loud, my body arching into his as he teases me with the tip of his finger, rubbing the pad of it across my lips, but no where where I wanted it to be.

I was almost sobbing with desire, and Edward, shoves his lips to mine again, allowing me to taste his peppermint mouth again, and his large digit swipes across my clit gently at first, making me moan into his mouth, loudly, and try to thrust my hips against his hand.

He makes a little tsking sound and suddenly I find myself in his lap, his hand still down my pants, working my little clit over within his fingers as he kisses the hell out of me, turning my head just lightly with the other hand that was wrapped around me to keep me trapped against him… as if I wanted to go somewhere in the first place.

My legs were spread wide, breath completely shot as I let loose several moans and soft whines as he ran the pad of his finger across my sensitive bud, several times at a very slow steady pace.

I was quaking with the need to release, and apparently he knew what I wanted for he sped up his fingers' pace, using all other fingers on my poor little quit, very artfully, and making me squirm and squeal in pleasure.

It was until he carefully lifted the hood of my clit and rubbed a knuckle across the very, very sensitive bud that I gave a loud squeal, begging him for more.

He acknowledged my request, sliding his fingers up and down my little clit, pulling and tugging at the clitoral hood to get to the bud underneath and my body quivered with the upcoming release.

" Ooh my fucking….. Eddwwwarrrddd I'm..I'm cumming!" I hit the orgasm hard, body jerking and eyes rolling back into my head as I collapse back into him.

I came back to myself, about 5 minutes later, still twitching as I saw Edward's hand finally evict itself, and I watch as he stares at me hungrily while licking my juices from his fingers.

He whispers, hoarsely. " Delicious."

I gulp and he closes his eyes, laying his head on my shoulder. " Mmmm, how was your first ever orgasm?"

I smile tiredly at him, running my fingers through his hair. " Amaz…ing." I whisper.

He chuckles softly. " If you scream this much from simply one hand touching you, I can't wait until I hear you when I eat you out."

I blush hotly, and he runs his hands through my dreads, whispering.

" Now wake up."

My eyes fly open and I sit up quickly, very startled as I looked around the clearing.

A blush seeped into my face and I groaned while smashing my face into my hands.

Oh my god… that was a dream.. I felt that…that my underwear was slightly damp and I groan harder, shoving my face into my hands hard. " Oh my god, Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god."

During the weekends, I had spent the night at Josh's place a lot. We were becoming the best of friends. And you know what? If we could help each other out, without getting attached as lovers, then so be it. It was as he said, a win-win situation.

We were co-ed stunting in his front yard for fun. Well more like teaching me how to do this and that, and giving me tips.

" Okay, Amazon, you back tuck over my shoulder, and stay TIGHT. For now, I'm just going to grab your feet, but when you get used to that, we can go for one foot, mkay?"

"Right!" I was very excited, Josh was one of the only few that were comfortable having a tall flyer on their hands. It wasn't like I was fat…

" 5... 6.…. 5. 6. 7. 8. 1. Squat 2, jump 3, TIGHT, stay TIGHT, you're not allowed to even THINK about wobbling."

I stared straight ahead, very slightly wavering, but quickly catching and tightening.

" Good.. Good. 5.….6... 5.6.7. Down!"

" Good job! It takes most a few months to learn even a straight ride." I smirk and high five him before cracking my neck and my shoulders.

"Let's try a lib, okay? I grab ahold of one foot, the other you just let lay there, no moving, no nothing."

I nod and we get into position again, only when a chilling voice cuts through our practice.

"What the hell do you and Amazon think you're doing?"

" Oh for fuck's sake.. Can't this girl get a life?" I slowly turn around with trepidation to face The Girl Who Cannot Let It Go.

Her name was Ashley.

*fans self* My, my…. Some of you may need to take a break at the hot part.


	6. Chapter 6

Ashley Chronicles, continued:

Ashley glared at me with all her 5'5" might and I glance over my shoulder at Josh who gives me this look and I sigh and walk into his house.

"Let me know if I should call the cops."

I didn't hear anything else as I went into the kitchen and grabbed the pitcher of Gatorade and a plastic cup.

Sitting down on a bar stool, I have the down time to think.

The All-Star cheerleading squad was in somewhat of a turmoil since I got there. They had try-outs a month ago, yet here I am.

Most of them welcomed me to the squad, all of the guys, and about half of the females when they saw the video of me doing the two way tumbling, from one corner of the mat to another, and then back to the starting corner.

The girls were very sweet, welcoming me with open arms, and a lot of them gave me their cell phone numbers and addresses for any upcoming slumber parties, or house parties, and I could barely hold back a cringe.

Well, for now the squad was only warming themselves up for competition season and hadn't really gotten any further instruction but getting used to co-ed stunting and regular stunting.

Now for the ones that didn't want me here. The other half of girls, that were none too keen on hiding their jealousy, or something.

I was the tallest girl on the squad, and taller then some of the guys actually. I didn't give a shit cause I related a lot more with the guys. I will never understand girl-language.

The second tallest girl, Amanda was 5'7" and we got along just fine. Me and my 5'9" and her 5'7" were bases of a 5'6" flyer, Jess.

The back-spot was 5'7", Brittney.

They taught me how to base, side base woot, and the like. I can be sure and slightly arrogant to tell you that Jess never, ever hit the floor. If she fell, I caught her, or we all caught her.

Josh came inside, sat next to me and stayed very silent. I turned towards him and he broke down.

" I..I broke up with her." Tears were streaming down his face.

Late at night, very late at night, seeing as how I have gotten used to staying up very late to do homework because the cheerleading and drive home ran somewhat late every night, I could always hear Bella sobbing and screaming in the other room. She was asleep, so I'm guessing she always woke up from a terrible nightmare.

I was spending hours thinking about my real parents. You see, I had the envelope from when my mom and dad gave me information about my biological family. I would always stare at it. And then think about the pros and cons several times before realizing I spent hours thinking and then would hurry up and go to bed when I had only 5 hours to sleep.

After much thought about it in my dreams, I made the decision to go see Billy Black at the Reservation and ask him myself about my parents.

So on the Saturday before a practice, I drove the Charger across the boundary, honestly feeling the exact same way I did when starting to drive and began following the road signs to the Res.

I had asked Billy Black for about an hour or two of his time and he immediately gave me his address. I knew where to go, and once at his house, I stepped out, bringing the envelope of my identity with me.

He was waiting for me at the door, and he gave me a quick look over before nodding and wheeled himself into his house.

I gave him a quick, firm handshake.

"Nice to see you Alyson. Please make yourself at home. Jacob's just in the garage, so he won't interrupt for at least an hour and a half."

He smiled broadly, and I immediately felt my worries vanish with that smile. A smile that said that whatever the hell is happening is going to be resolved.

I let out a deep breath. " Pleasure to see you too, Mr. Black. I had a question for you… Could you please look over this and tell me what is the first thing you think after reading all of this?"

I handed him the envelope, and he took his time looking over every document, especially the birth certificate.

He was silent for a good 15 minutes before he interlaced his fingers and threw me a grim, tired look.

I have never taken a look at my birth certificate, so my breath was held and stomach clenched.

"Well….Daughter of Joshua Uley and .. Allison Uley.. Born June 20, 1989 at 7:34 PM. Siblings listed: Samuel Uley…."

He glances up at me, sighing deeply and reaching over to a "hidden" cabinet; he reaches in and pulls out a large bottle of vodka, and a small shot glass.

He knocks back two before putting a cap on it and then just leave it on the coffee table.

"Thank you.. So very much Mr. Black."

"Is there anything else you wish to talk about?"

" Yes, the Cullens are gone for I don't know how long, but I have a feeling that they will come back." I close my eyes for a minute, momentarily forgetting the presence of Mr. Black and allowing the memories to return to me briefly before I careful reconstruct my face and open my eyes.

I give him a very small, tight smile before standing up, and hugging Billy. " Thanks again. I have to go…"

I retreat to my car and allow my self a tiny mental breakdown before pulling it all back together and hiding it behind a façade.

(( OOKAAYYY! Emergency author's note, must read if you want to understand the timeline! Alright so everyone knows Edward was born in 1901. Bella's birthday is September 13, 1987 . So her 18th birthday is in the year 2005. And the time continues into 2006 since we hit January. As Alyson's birthday as June 20, 1989, in 2005 she is 16. Okay! If that clears up everything, please continue! If not, message me after this chapter. ROFL))

As I pulled in behind the Big Red, I saw two clearly broken and rusting motorcycles in its back. I narrow my eyes slightly before parking beside it and hurry into the house.

I caught the tail end of a conversation from Bella's side as she hang up the phone.

" I'll be back for dinner, and yes I'll be fine by myself… yeah..she's right here… yeah I'm sure she won't mind going to La Push."

She hung up and turned around with a slight grin on her face. "You're. coming with me. No buts."

She grabbed my arm and pulled me with her out the door and near the truck. I sigh softly, getting into her truck and buckling myself in for a ride.

Several minutes and border crossing later, I found myself back at Mr. Black's house and I chuckle softly, amused at the irony.

However, as I fell the short distance to the earth and landed on both feet, it wasn't Mr. Black's face I saw coming to greet us, but his son's…

I gave a brief, sharp nod to Jacob before looking to her bikes. I quickly climb onto the back of her truck and checking them out.

I was mentally making a list in my mind of the things needed for each ride, and on the top of the lists was to take everything apart and clean the shit out, de-rust it and everything.

There was a ton of missing parts and I was sure this would take weeks even with two car junkies. But as Bella and Jacob disappeared inside I quickly jumped from the truck, and grabbed a bike, gently, heaving it to the side of the garage and sprinting back for the other one.

It seems as if I was the third wheel again. I don't really care, I saw how Bella's mood has improved and how she beginning to feel again…


	7. Chapter 7

~ Don't let this get to your head, but I'll need your help with the impossible. I need help with the bikes. . I can hear you ego grow now, so don't forget to pop it before you hit it on the doorway LOL~

That text was from Jacob. Early in the morning. I turned in my bed, mentally checking over my schedule for the free time. I could take one bike and work on it on free time.

~ Aight, you got a deal. Just make sure you have a camera for when I complete your bike before Bella's~

I smirk and turn an alarm on for 10:00 AM on Saturday.

That following Saturday, I got up as planned, ate a very healthy breakfast, brushed teeth, ,washed face, put on some shorts ( And yes they have sort of turned into booty shorts but they covered my ass cheeks at least!)

I was blasting music in the driveway of Charlie's house, working on Jacob's bike. Well.. More like taking apart the blasted thing to clean the metal from gunk and dirk and rust.

While the parts where in a homemade solution to clean it without me touching it, I was laid out on the grass, listening to the music and chilling.

When the time came to dump dry the pieces off, I did so, and slowly started to put the bike together again, lip synching to the music, and shaking my ass to the chorus and drum banging.

After carefully slipping the parts back where they were supposed to go and wiping any stray grease marks away, I had a clipboard, noting the pieces I would need to buy and those that need replacements on it.

It amounted to quite a few, but I would be sure to get them.

Carefully lifting the bike, I place it back in the garage, and pull a tarp over it, next to my own bike that I hadn't ridden in quite a while.

" 5 AND 6.… 5, 6, 7, 8, DOWN UP!"

I had the smallest flyer on our squad in my hands, looking up at her ass as a lot of guys were around to spot.

" Good! Stay tight, stay tight."

Said flyer, her name was Ashley, hehe, would have bitched at me, but she remained professional and quiet as she held herself together, as I extended my arms. One foot was in my hands, and she was performing a Bow and Arrow.

' 5, AND 6, 5,6,7,8 AND CRADLE." She twisted down expertly into my arm and one other guy's arms and she hopped down with a slight huff at me which I grin.

I slapped her ass, and she squealed loudly grabbing a hold of it and running away, while I laughed. Loud.

After the fiasco that was at Josh's house, we had been getting along better then before. There were a few times when her jealousy flared, but she had no problem with me.. As far as I know.

Hence, why she didn't come to try and beat my ass after I slapped hers.

Unfortunately, it was my time to be a flyer, and a lot of the guys wanted to try their hand at co-eding with me.

I only grumbled before nodding and letting them pass me off between the guys.

I would perform Tick Tocks, Arabesques, Liberties, Bow and Arrows, Heel Stretches, Needles, Scorpions, Chin Chins, and Scales.

I was definitely not showing off, I promise.

After practice was over, I was eager to get back to the working on Jacob's bike.

One some weekends, Jacob would come over and pig out with us on pizza or Bella's lasagna and would brag about the headway he made on his "masterpiece".

I believed I was a sliver of a millimeter of a hair ahead of him in finishing the bike, but just to make sure, I would spend more time on it then usual. The list of bike parts I sent to order had arrived with expedited shipping, and I had only to repair handlebars, repaint it, and attach the seating to it, and that would be done!

Perhaps a day of work and it'd be done.

The very next day, I called in to Mrs. David that I couldn't come today because of a bet against a friend that I had to complete right then and there, etc, etc, and she just waved me off the phone.

I called Jacob, using a brand new Bluetooth ear phone and was speaking to him while putting the last touches on the handlebars.

"You know I'm about to be finished before you are."

" Bullshit Alyson, total bull.. There is no way."

I chuckle, straddling the bike, and leaning against it to stare harder at the handlebars. My knife was out trimming away some of the new leather applied.

" Oh yes, way. Yessss way. Remember when I asked you what color you wanted your bike?"

" …that was …. 6 days ago. I was ahead of you then!"

I chuckled, wiping the leather clean with a rag from my back pocket, and started polishing the gleaming metal of the entire bike.

I murmur to him. " When do you want me to meet you to give you your finished bike today?"

I smirk as he lets out a frustrated sound and growls. " I'll be finished today with Bella's. We were planning on going out today in a few hours."

I spoke with him on the phone as I got changed into longer pants, and a light jacket.

" Well.. I'll follow Bella to your house. She's just getting out of the house now."

" Oh wait, really? Oh boy, oh boy. I have to call her blah blah blah blah blah blah.."

Oh this boy had it bad.

I laughed, as I started his bike, throwing a leg over it.

" How about you get off the phone with me, and call your lover over there?"

I put on my sunglasses, and roared out of the garage, hitting 70 mph easily while dodging traffic. OH yes… I missed riding my bike.

Jake was allowing me to ride his bike, he gave me instructions to where he was going. I know he just wanted to spend time with Bella, he practically fell over asking me if I wanted to ride his bike to the place.

I only shook my head, grabbed the instructions, memorized them, and handed them back. " You might need them if Bella's in the car with you."

I chuckled, putting my sunglasses on like the bad ass that I am, and throw a leg over his bike, revving the engine at him, almost questioningly.

I grin, and pull ahead of them.

Once there, I had sat on a large rock, speaking with Josh who had called me.

" You know, she really is changed… I think she really loves you too, but it took a kick in the ass to realize that herself."

I could hear Josh smile. " Yeah, she came to me after practice today, asking if we could talk. I have to go soon for that, but I just needed a pep talk."

I hum, leaning back on the rock, looking up at the sky. Josh's voice lowered a little bit.

" Did you ever tell -him-?"

I had paused a little, a furrow in my brow as my stomach tightened.

" Told whom?"

He sighs loudly. " You seriously have no clue, do you?"

I scoff at the sky, rolling my eyes. " What the fuck are you talking about? Who is HIM?"

" I have to go, blind girl, I have some ass to tap tonight."

I growl. " I did not need to fucking hear that! Just go Lover boy, go! Keep ass-tapping comments to your fucking self! Grosssss"

I heard him laugh as Bella's truck pulled up to the rock I was sitting on.

" Alright, Virgin Girl. I'll be hearing it from you when you finally get a taste of what you're missing…."

I hang up on him, almost throwing my phone against the rock as I blush hard.

Yeah. The fantasies that I had had bloomed in my mind, none too slowly.

When they had gotten out of the car, I knew they needed some privacy, so I threw the keys to Jacob's bike at him, and I set off.

I hiked through the woods, quickly getting lost, but I didn't mind that. I had my cell phone with me and sooner or later I would run into a road.

I stopped randomly in the middle of a fallen tree, having climbed on top of it when the air around me suddenly buzzed with energy.

It felt that my senses multiplied, and I slowly turned, eyeing my surroundings.

I was starting to shake, that's how bad the buzz was.

I was balanced on the tree, when I felt the sudden urge to turn around and I did, coming face to face with a red headed vampire.

Her face screamed bad intent, and I stepped backward, my blood frozen and heart beating very fast.

She turned her head this way and that, watching me. Almost curiously as I trembled in shock. She looked very familiar.

" Well now, I see James was right when he said he had a hunch there was a second human."

She sneered and leapt at me, causing me to squeal and she shoved me into the bark of the tree, making it dig into my back.

I let out a small sob when the scabs on my back start to itch, irritated.

Oh fuck..

My eyes look anywhere they can but her bright red ones as she smells my neck.

" You don't smell particularly appetizing like that other girl does…."

Her sentence cuts off as she jumps away from me and starts climbing up the tree when a huge dark brown wolf crashes into the clearing, causing my heart to fly into my throat.

I grab at my chest, almost hyperventilating as a few more gigantic mammals clambered past me to give chase after Victoria..

She was one of the three… She did say James' name. Perhaps this was his sister?

I stopped breathing altogether when I looked up into the eyes of the biggest wolf, black furred beast with a gentle look in his eyes.

I crack my neck, giving a deep breath as I stand and without further warning I sprint up the tree, and push off of it, turning my body to land on his massive back.

He gives me a loud growl of a warning while shaking his body, and I laugh loudly, wrapping my long legs around his form and pushing my body flush against the fur of his neck as I whisper into his ears.

" HA! Give me a ride, like the good boy you are. You know you can support my weight, PLUS I'm lost."

He snorts before, kicking up his back legs, exactly like a horse before bounding off.

I didn't watch where we were going, because I was very deep in thought.

" Why exactly is Victoria here? I mean.. James has been killed, and Laurent… oh my god Laurent…"

I could feel the ears of the wolf beneath me swivel and turn.

Yeah I knew he was listening.

" Laurent… I've been told by Alice that Laurent was supposed to go to the Alaskan clan. The Denali. Fuck…. Those missing people though? There's been reports of missing and dead people."

I run through the options of what could be happening. " If I were a vampire who's friend had just been killed, and other friend has decided to turn; and that friend was killed by a good vampire who has a family to back him up… But wait… why would she be so pissed off about a friend… unless he was something more…. Something big enough to cause the need for revenge…"

I gasp, hunching over the wolf's back further. " That was her boyfriend! Holy fuck, it makes sense now… that's why she's so pissed… Edward killed James because he was going after Bella… but that means she's… oh my god… Bella…"

The wolf suddenly skidded to a stop, and let out a thunderous howl. I slid off of the large wolf's back, landing in a crouch and beginning to pace back and forth.

" But the missing people.. I don't get it.. The people that turned up dead and sucked dry are obviously from Laurent, but what about the people missing… think Alyson, think! If I were a vampire hell bent on destruction and revenge and couldn't get through vampire and now werewolf body guards. What would I do…? I would …."

I looked up staring at a lot more wolves as they sat, rather comically around me in a circle.

I paced once more coming to stand in front of the wolf I got a ride from.

I stood silent as he stood and lowered his head to me.

My hands twitched as if wanting to pet him, and I turn my head, looking straight into the eyes of the head chief wood, dude, he -was- the biggest there.

"What?"

Lol, REVIEWS ARE GOLDEN! Please let me know how I'm doing.


	8. Chapter 8

" So… did you hear about how some of your pack thinks I have a nice ass?"

He growled very loudly, enough to shake the ground loud, and I had to grab his muzzle and pet him, softly.

" Awwww it's okay they're growing boys! You honestly can't tell me you've never thought about Emily's ass that way."

I assumed the wolf was Sam Uley, and I hear several snorts of "wolf laughter" as I continued to pet Sam.

I whirled around to them and pointed in their general direction. " As of you guys…. You need to be more careful, hikers are starting to be wary of the " big bad bears" running around. Charlie warned Bella of this back at the house. I swear you guys got clueless Charlie warning us about you."

I shake my head, snickering softly and make a show of sitting down and laying myself out. One by one, the wolves jumped into some bushes and came out as dark skinned Natives and sat relatively close to me.

When Sam came out, he pulled me up, like I was a feather and hugged the hell out of me.

" Awww." Several of the guys cooed at us and I just give them the finger behind Sam's back causing a lot of them to start laughing, hard.

I carefully remove myself from Sam's embrace and sat in the circle once more.

" So what are you doing here… and who exactly are you?"

" Embry!" I stared at Jacob's friend. " Aahh, you're the one that has Jacob worried.. He thinks you guys are a gang or something strung out on drugs."

I shrug, and turn to the next one.

" Paul." He grunted and looked away.

" Jared." I really couldn't tell one from another, though Paul was the most angry looking one and Sam was the biggest.

Well there was only four of them, I'm pretty sure that I'd get to know them down to their smallest of quirks and attitudes. After all, Jared and Embry were the ones I was going to have a problem differentiating.

Wait, scratch that. I knew which was which. Jared was more laid back then Embry, while Embry was snorting sugar or some shit. He was that hyperactive.

"Tell us more about what happened to these three nomads. We've been catching two different vampire scents around and we're getting sick of when they cross that border."

I crack my neck and yawn softly.

" The Cullens took us to play baseball, and the nomads wanted in. I was hiding behind a tree as the Cullens were worrying over Bella and the wind blew her scent towards the three. One of them became very happy to hunt, one was reluctant, and one didn't care. The one that hunted Bella was James. She and I ended up getting tricked to go into an abandoned dance studio where James proceeded to rough her up, broke some bones, you know. I got roughed up as well, not enough to spill blood, thank god. The rest of the Cullens arrived, did away with James and took us to the Hospital. After that all was pretty normal until the mysterious deaths and killings. Alice told me recently that one of the vampires that was on a human diet decided to change to an animal diet, and moved to Alaska where there's another coven just like the Cullens. The last vampire, Victoria was the … girlfriend, or mate to James and disappeared during that time. But now.. It seems that she's back. And she wants Bella as revenge. If you're smelling two vampire scents, one has to be Victoria for obvious reasons… but the second…"

I looked up at all of them. " Victoria is one of those vampires.. I'm afraid I have no clue who the other is."

Sorry, not much content in this chapter from the book. Was mainly just filler, though I turned it into something better. Just a tad.


	9. Chapter 9

I was repainting my bike, speaking with Josh again, actually speaking with both Ashley and Josh at the same time.

"You know, I'm not sure how you guys think I like this somebody whoever you're talking about. He's my best friend, how can I like him like that? I'm too confused."

I was beginning the repainting near the handle bars so I was on top of the bike comfortably, laid out.

" Alyson. You have got to be the most retarded, smartest creature on this planet and your Love IQ is that of a newborn baby's!" Ashley yelled at me.

" What? I didn't even talk to you about him! I only talked to Josh!"

" Well.. I perhaps.. May have let my mouth run a little." Josh spoke quietly.

" What…?"

" Look I want to see you happy, Alyson."

" What are you talking about, I AM happy. I don't need a boyfriend, nor do I want one. I'm a junior in High school about to get ready to take the ACT's and SAT's and the High school exam for Juniors and I don't need all the bullshit in my life. You see how you guys were when I first met you. I don't need that in my life."

I had paused to take a deep breath before returning to calmly paint.

" You need to follow your heart before it gets broken, Aly! Don't let this go on too much longer you're going to get sick." Ashley exclaimed.

I sigh softly before putting away the paint to allow the handles to dry.

" Look Ashley and Josh, I understand your concern, but I don't love anyone. I am quite ecstatic to be best friends with this guy and that is more than enough for me right now. He has a girlfriend already and I'm pretty sure they're going to see this relationship through to marriage."

I didn't add the fact that they were having a little down time at the moment.

" You know what Ashley, you're stupid and I'm going to relish in the fact that sooner or later, you're going to be telling us that we were right and that you were wrong."

I had stopped listening when Bella slammed the garage door open and got in my face.

" You! Are going with me. To the movie theatres. Now! Get dressed in 10 minutes!"

" What? I thought Valentines' Day already passed.. And I didn't know you thought of me like that, Bella." I smirk, thanking God that the two on my earpiece went silent.

She slaps me in the back of my head making me chuckle and I follow her through the house.

" Oh shut up, it's supposed to be a group thing for my group of friends, but a lot of them couldn't come."

" Oooh.. So you must have a third wheel that you didn't want them to feel left out." I nod understandingly.

I turn towards my room, smiling smugly. " I'm going to have to let you guys go now. I'm a little bit busy and will be for the new 4 or so hours. Have fun with whatever you're doing… on second thought don't have too much fun… that's gross, by the way."

" What? Ha-ha, I can't help it if he's down there doing naughty things to me while we chat.. Plus that was a week ago!"

" Just gross."

" Hahahahhah, you'll get it one day too, Aly!"

I snort and disconnect the earpiece and I pull on some stretch pants, furry boots, and a tank top on top of a long sleeved shirt.

I spray a little bit of perfume on, and make my way downstairs, just in time to see Bella pull her hand away from Jacob's grasp.

I pull on a jacket and stand beside them.

" So this is the third wheel?" I asked as Mike Newton stepped out of a van and Jacob laughed out loud while Bella attempted to slap me in the back of the head.

"What? You know it's true!"

" Well… he's sort of cute." I murmured to them conspiratorially.

" Just get in the car." Bella ordered while pointing to a truck I've never seen before.

I chuckle, climbing into the car and dragging Mike with me who started sputtering.

" Oh shut up. Newton you need to get yourself another love interest. She's already torn between two guys, I'm sure you don't need to put yourself through any more pain."

I take his hand within my own, silently marveling at the similar sizes and just sit there.

" This is by no means a romantic gesture, just so you know."

" Oh, I got, I got that."

I continued holding his hand and fell into a light sleep on our way to the movie theatres.

Perhaps Newton had really given up on Bella. As we were getting out of the car I continued to hold his hand, and I glared at the two in front of us when I noticed that they noticed.

" No we're not, so shut your faces."

We were making light conversation as we brought our tickets, brought a few snacks.

In the movie theatre I was laughing so loud at the gore in the movie, Bella just had to pick the bloodiest movie of the century.

My hand was still in Mike's when I felt his hand start to sweat and I turned to him right when he groaned, lightly pulling his hand from mine to cover his face.

" Are you okay, Mike?" I whispered.

" No.. I think I'm sick." He was gasping and I immediately hauled him up, yet he was a step ahead of me, pulling me towards the door.

I heard the others get up to come after us, and I sighed.

He let me go when going in the men's bathroom, but I followed anyways, following him into the stall with lots and lots of paper towels, soapy ones, wet ones, and dry ones.

" God, Aly, I don't even know you that well but I don' t know what would have happened without you there."

He heaved several more times with me sitting on the metal hand guard things and rubbing his back.

" I didn't want you to be the third wheel honestly." I took a deep breath. " And also, I didn't want you to get your hopes up about Bella. She's… in a hard time right now, you know about Edward Cullen, right? Well… she still loves him, and Jacob's trying to fill that hole that he left. I just want to tell you that so you know who you're against in trying to win her heart. But I think for the safety of your own heart that you should let your infatuation go."

He let out a strangled noise, and I pounded his back a few times, satisfied when I heard the upheaval.

" I think.. I think I'm done for now."

I lightly pulled his head back, grimacing at the look on his face before carefully wiping the soapy towel across his face.

" That's the idea. You are seriously hot, you should go for another girl that's not as messed up as she is right now. Trust me."

I threw the towel into the toilet, continuing to wipe his face.

I searched through the pockets of my jacket and handed him Listerine **breath mint strips. **

" You can have that. You look a lot better by the way, and also you should be careful. Stomach virus going around. Stop sharing drinks with everyone you meet."

I wrapped an arm around Mike and escorted him to the sink. I washed and sanitized my hands while Mike washed his face and his hands.

We walked out and found Jacob and Bella quietly speaking in a corner.

" Do you mind leaving early?" he rasped.

" No, of course not." They stood up and I supported Mike enough so he could walk steadily.

" Movie too much for you?"

He looked down at me for a second to which I nodded quickly.

" I didn't actually see any of it," he whispered. " I was nauseated before the lights went down."

"Why didn't you say something?" Bella scolded.

" I was hoping it would pass."

" Just a sec," Jacob backtracked to the concession stand and I looked weirdly at him before pulling Mike out into the open, fresh air.

We helped Mike into the back seat and I slid in across the back seat to sit right next to him. I was hoping physical contact with the opposite sex would help him. Perhaps. I don't know. It felt like the right thing to do after what we were talking about today.

I volunteered to drive Mike home in his van and Jacob and Bella were driving behind us to take me home.

As I parked the van into the driveway, flew around the car and helped Mike out.

He wasn't bad looking anymore.

" Which pocket are your keys in?" I was not going to search for them all over the place… that would look so bad if his mom and dad were standing in the windows.

" Left."

He directed me towards his room where his room was and I helped him into his room. I was about to ask if he wanted me to help take his clothes off, but he fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

I blinked for a second before taking off his shoes and walked out of his room.

Hopefully his parents weren't there , and I made my escape slowly and cautiously so as not to wake him up.

I walked outside to Jacob's truck, taking in a deep breath when I saw them in the front seat together.

My mind flashed to the dream I had, that felt very long ago. And I closed my eyes, and shook my head. I jumped into the backseat of the truck and laid myself out across the seat.

" He'll be fine. He looks better already." As though they were paying attention to me they both nodded and drove towards home.

When I woke up the next day, I heard someone vomiting in the bathroom and I groaned, grossed out.

I didn't want to get sicker then I probably will be, considering I was around Mike too, so I stayed away from the bathroom, cooked, cleaned, ate breakfast watched some news, and got bored.

When I saw headline local news I frowned.

But that wasn't the only reason I frowned.

One, there was a report of more bodies being found in the mysterious condition of having very little to no blood left in their bodies.

Two, I had a feeling that I knew who exactly was killing humans in Forks, Washington.


	10. Chapter 10

Back at cheerleading practice, I was throwing my stuff in my bag when the phone rang and I picked up the earpiece, fitting it into my ear.

" Hello?"

"Hey Alyson, this is Bella. I'm very worried about Jacob! He's been gone for so long now and, and Billy's not telling me where he is and Harry's in the hospital and I feel so alone."

Bella whined to me and I hang my head, inwardly sighing. " Okay… so you want to find out how Jacob is right?"

" Exactly! You're coming with me to go La Push, okay?"

I almost growl. " Why do I have to be dragged into this?"

" Because! I can't go alone. It's scary alone!"

I was silent for a moment before speaking very softly. " Bella… do you love Jacob?"

" …." there was a moment of silence before her broken voice filled the earpiece. " I… I don't know."

I bite my lip before waving to the squad and securing my bag on my back, hopping on my bike.

I rev the bike and just sit on it. " Bella… you're going to have to choose, not because I like one of them, but because if you don't choose, you'll end up hurting both of them…"

" Edward! I love Edward more."

I nod to myself.

" But Jacob is my best friend, I NEED to find out how he's doing."

" Good enough excuse for me, I guess…Do you know what Billy said he had?"

" Mono, and that he could have no visitors."

I chuckled as I maneuvered my way to the high way before hitting high speeds up to 100 mph. I weaved in and out of traffic before speaking to her, keeping my eye on the road.

" Mono is not contagious by regular bodily contact. It's the passing of saliva, or kissing that does it. Do they think we're that retarded?"

" I gave them a week, but it's passed PLUS a day. I've been generous, so now it's time to take action." I heard Bella smack her palm with a fist and pushed my beauty above 120 mph.

" You sound very much like a general about to see her soldiers off to war."

" This might very well end up in war." I fell deathly silent at Bella's response and she hung up.

Oh god, what is she planning on doing.

As soon as I pulled into the garage with a squeal of tires I was manhandled into Bella's truck and was frozen in shock.

I'm not sure I liked wherever we were going. The route seemed highly familiar.

I said nothing as I finally realized where we were heading to, and I was wondering if Bella finally found Edward's meadow. My hang out spot to just be alone with nature and think.

Bella started to look a little worse and worse with each step that she took and I was behind her to catch her should she fall… but she didn't look physically worn out. Just… she just looked bad.

An hour later we pushed into the meadow and I was barely paying attention to Bella anymore. I spotted my tree, the tree with the surreal glow around it.

My heart was aching to touch the tree again, but I steered clear of it. My mind was strangely empty of all thoughts, my gaze blank as I spread myself out in the middle of the clearing and just stared up at the sky.

My body spasmed into wakefulness and I jumped to my feet just as a figure stepped out of the woods.

" Laurent!" I eased closer to Bella as she spoke, keeping my eyes on his.

He had red eyes.

My lips pressed into a thin line. " Bella?" He glanced towards me and tilted his head. " This is the other human James told me about. That tracker did have a sharp nose even for a vampire." He grinned. " I didn't expect to see you here."

" What are you doing here, Laurent. You're supposed to be in Alaska." I all but snarl, cutting Bella off from speaking.

He looked slightly astounded that I knew. " You're right. I did go t o Alaska. Still, I didn't expect. . . When I found the Cullen place empty, I thought they moved on."

My mind was working quickly to figure out a solution to our situation. I knew we were in much more trouble then my mind seemed to register.

" They did move on." Bella whispered.

" Hmm, I'm surprised they left you behind. Weren't you two their sort of pets?"

" Something like that."

" Hmm…"

I didn't like the look on his face. At. All.

" Do the Cullens visit often?" He asked casually, yet he took a step forward which caused both of us to step back.

I answered instantly. " About once a week, sometimes twice if there's something Alice needs to tell us."

I was hoping to God that my lying had gotten better since the last time I have ever lied to a vampire.

Laurent stared at me for a while. " Hmm, the house smelled like it had been vacant for a while."

I plop down on my ass to appear more casual and lean an elbow on my thigh, my chin in the upturned hand.

" They visit us directly at our houses. No more than 2 at a time though, in the privacy of our own rooms. They're still really sensitive about the James attacking us thing, you know."

Alyson shut your mouth…

" Are they really?" Laurent stepped even closer and I had to squish all instincts that were telling me to get off my fat ass and run, I almost threw up at the fact I was ignoring my instincts to that degree.

" So how are things working out in Denali? Carisle said you were staying with Tanya?"

I winced a little when I heard Bella speak, dear god this girl couldn't lie to save her life sometimes, yet it did make Laurent pause.

" I like Tanya very much. And her sister Irina even more . . . I've never stayed in one place for so long before, and I enjoy the advantages, the novelty of it. But, the restrictions are difficult . . . I'm surprised that any of them can keep it up for long."

He looked at us with such a predatory grin that my body started trembling.

" Sometimes I cheat."

I couldn't stop myself for shooting up and falling back to Bella's side at this point.

Bella spoke a lot more. " Oh.. Jasper has problems with that, too."

" Really? Is that why they left?" Laurent seemed genuinely interested.

" No. Jasper is more careful at home."

" Yes, I am too." Laurent all but purred, and I almost dropped all composure right then and there.

Laurent… Laurent was the vampire hunting here and leaving bodies drained of blood. I almost flinched when Bella spoke.

" Did Victoria ever find you?" I looked up to see that he was closer then he was when I took my eyes off him and slid back a little.

My eyes glared into his, rage fueling the fire within my body, but I barely held it in check.

"Yes. I actually came here as a favor to her." He made a face. " She won't be happy about this."

" Happy about what?" I cut in, my voice heavy with anger.

" About me killing you," he answered with a happy, seductive purr. " She wanted to save that part for herself.. But she never said anything about the other human.."

I involuntarily take another step back, something was telling me to stall for time.

"What? Why me?"

" She thought it was more appropriate to kill Bella then Edward - fair turned-about, mate for mate. She asked me to get the lay of the land for her, so to speak. I didn't imagine that both humans together would be so easy to get to. So her plan has flawed - apparently it wouldn't be the revenge she imagined, since you two must not mean very much to the Cullens if they left you here unprotected."

I flinch back, grabbing a hold of Bella's arm as well.

" I suppose she'll be angry all the same…"

"They why not wait for her?" Bella choked out, her form trembling beneath my hand, I was trembling too.

" Well, you've caught me at a bad time, Bella and Alyson. I didn't come to this place on Victoria's mission - I was hunting. I'm quite thirsty, and you do smell… simply mouthwatering… and I'm curious as to how the other one tastes."

I barely concealed the flinch this time, edging my foot backwards.

" He'll know it was you! You won't get away with this." Bella whispered hoarsely.

"And why not?" Laurent's smile was widening, while I was staring at Bella. What is she doing?

He gazed around the meadow with calculating eyes.

" The scent will wash away with the next rain. no one will find your bodies - you'll simply go missing, like so many, many other humans have. There's no reason for Edward to think of me, if he cares enough to investigate. This is nothing personal, let me assure you. It's just thirst."

I whispered. " Please no."

Laurent shook his head as if speaking to a little kid. " Look at it this way. You're very lucky I was the one to find you two."

I gasped softly. " Are we?"

" Yes. I'll be very quick. You won't feel a thing, I promise. Oh I'll lie to Victoria about that later, naturally, just to placate her. But if you knew what she had planned for you, Bella..." He shook his head with pity. " I swear you'd be thanking me for this."

He inhaled deeply as a breeze blew in his direction. " Simply mouthwatering."

I crouched as if ready to run away.

Laurent suddenly whipped his head abruptly to the left. I followed his gaze seeing nothing for a few minutes until a huge black wolf emerged from the edge of trees and I collapsed onto my knees a sigh of relief pushing from my lips.

Laurent was staring in horror as four more large wolves stepped out of the bushes, one even came close enough to see the different textures of his fur.

I whispered, barely audible. " You are so fucked."

Without any warning, he turned on his heels and disappeared into the trees, the large wolves all nipping at his heels and following him.

I sunk to my hands and knees, breathing heavily, allowing the trembles and fear to shake themselves out of me.

I turned to Bella. " You are NOT to tell Charlie of this. Including the wolves."

I got to my feet, turning to look in the direction the vampire and shape-shifters went.

Be careful.

As soon as we stepped into the door, Bella had turned every single lock on the door, and Charlie appeared in the doorway, arms crossed.

" Where have you two been?"

I immediately spoke up. " We've been relaxing in the meadow me and Bella found. It was such a pretty day to lay in the grass you know."

He stared at me but turned to Bella, eyes narrowed. "What happened to going to Jessica's?"

I shut up, realizing I couldn't answer this question.

" I didn't feel like Calculus today." Bella supplied.

" I thought I told you, Bella especially, to stay out of the forest." Charlie still looked pissed.

I approached the situation cautiously. " That's why she asked me to accompany her to the meadow. Plus it wasn't near where the news channel marked the sightings of the bears."

He relaxed just a little bit.

" You two hungry?"

My stomach answered for me and I cradled it smiling sheepishly. "Girl, if you didn't get groceries, you'd eat me out of my own house." he shakes his head pointing to the kitchen. " Take out."

I leapt towards the food, but froze when Charlie spoke to Bella.

" Hey. Didn't you say Jacob was gone for the day?" I paused at the doorway, my body tense.

" That's what Billy said," Bella told him.

" Well, it's just that when I went to pick up Harry, I saw Jacob out in the front of the store down there with some of his friends. I waved hi, but he … well, I guess I didn't know if he saw me. I think maybe he was arguing with his friends. He looked strange, like he was upset about something. And . . . Different. It's like you can watch that kid growing! He gets bigger every time I see him."

" Billy said Jake and his friends were going up to Port Angeles to see some movies. They were probably just waiting for someone to meet them."

" Oh ." Charlie sounded satisfied now, and headed in my direction.

I quickly finished my trek to the kitchen, sighing inwardly in heavy relief.

After I finished eating, I went out to the garage, polishing my bike and working in complete silence.

Something always ruins complete silence, because my phone rang and I hooked my earpiece up to my ear, squatting near my bike to put down the cloth.

" Hello?"

"Why the hell would you go into the woods with Victoria looking for you and the other vampire loose?"

I sigh loudly, standing up and throwing the tarp across my bike.

" Hey Sam, how are you doing today?"


	11. Chapter 11

" Ride it as high as you can go Alyson, and then TUCK, TIGHT, TIGHT, TIGHT!"

I let out a whoosh of air as I landed deeply nestled in the arms of the three bases and there were several cheers as I jumped down from the cradle.

" HELL YEAH! You look so good in the air, Aly" Josh high fived me and I grin, rolling my shoulder back a little. " Thank you."

The squad had begun to choreograph a few set of eight counts of a cheer, nothing too dangerously fast, but choreography was being set at a slow pace.

I kicked up into a hand stand, idly talking with the other members of the squad when I deemed fit.

I squared my shoulders and flipped upright, because my phone was ringing.

Loudly.

I dove for the actual cell in my bad, pressed buttons, and put it up to my ear. Before I could even get a "Hello." out, I heard Bella.

"You and me are going to see Jacob as SOON as you get back. In fact, I'm going over there now, and I'll wait for you."

I raises an eyebrow, staring at the wall. " Whoa, what? We're going where? Sexually assaulting who?"

"This is no time for jokes, Aly! I'm worried about Jacob, he's been missing for several days without calling me. Billy's not worried. Dad's just saying there's nothing wrong, and I'm blaming Sam Uley for taking Jake away!"

I sigh softly, cracking my neck and speaking in a gentle tone. " Bella. I guess I'll be there in an hour and a half.."

" Thank you Aly. I don't know what I would do without you. I'd probably be a quivering mess of tears months ago."

I signaled to the squad that I was leaving, and I took my bag and left the gym.

" You'll be alright in the long run Bella. I just know it."

I hung up and got into the charger. Every time I would start the car, a pang would register in my heart and continue to throb for a few minutes. I would have to ignore it every single time.

When I arrived at Billy's house, rain pouring down like buckets being dumped across my face, and before I had the chance to get an umbrella, Bella had already pulled me out of my car.

I immediately snuggled into my jacket, my lips trembling with how cold the rain was and I glared at her.

I dropped the glare immediately when I saw her condition.

She looks very pale, paler than usual, she was trembling harder than I was and her eyes were crazed.

Surprisingly strong for her, she dragged me literally to the front door and banged on the door with her fist.

Besides the rain, I could hear the wheels of Billy's wheelchair approach the door and the little clicks of the locks unlocking.

He swung the door open, not surprised in the least to see us standing on his front step. Though he did not look happy.

" Where. Is. Jacob?" She almost hissed. I shuddered, staring at Billy helplessly before the hairs on the back of my neck stood up on end and I whirled around.

Only to come face to peck with a dark skinned native. Oh. Shit.

" What are you doing here, Bella?" Jacob growled and I looked him over. He has definitely changed. Oh my gosh… He didn't…

I turned to look at Billy over my shoulder, questioningly, and he gives me a faint nod.

So, he phased…

He was standing shock still in front of me, yet his eyes were all on Bella. His gaze was so intense that I was almost shaking from the heat that the gaze provided directed towards another person nonetheless.

I finally realized after about a minute of staring at his abs, that we weren't alone, and I carefully backed up, staring at Sam, Paul, Jared, and Embry.

Sam himself, nodded at me, to which I nodded back with a slight bow of my head before looking back to Jacob who was beginning to speak to Bella.

" What do you want?" His tone even made me flinch.

" I want to talk to you." Bella almost cried.

" Go ahead." He hissed and I wiped the water from my face every few seconds so as not to have it frozen to my face.

" Alone!" There was a few seconds of quiet looks and a nod from Sam and they walked into Jacob's house as one, yet Sam pulled me in after them, and I turned to look over my shoulder at Bella and Jacob but their focuses were on each other, and only each other.

There was a towel thrown in my face, which I caught quickly and rubbed all over my face.

" So Jacob, now too?" I knew it, I just needed to start conversation. The silence was slightly awkward.

" Yeah, him too. We're not sure why the pack is emerging all at once now. The bloodsuckers are gone now. Have been gone for almost an entire year. Why would our boys continue to phase?" Sam's tone was not exactly hard, but it was very hard to ignore the need-to-know tone.

I peeled off my cheerleading shoes, turning them over onto tile and laid my socks near them. I took off my large jacket to reveal the sports bra and shorts that I usually wore to practice. There was no time to change.

We were quietly watching a football game, on edge, bodies posed for Jacob's return when said person did come back through the door.

I wasn't sure if he was crying or if that was the rain, but he looked miserable and we suddenly all knew that he loved this girl with all his heart.

The others were looking at him with expressions of awe.

" You imprinted on her, didn't you?" One of them said.

I raised my hand. This sounded really serious.

" Excuse me for interrupting.. .but what is imprinting?"

Everyone's head snapped in my direction as if they didn't expect me to ask that.

I heard Jacob whisper. " You mean what you felt when you first saw Emily, Sam? It's.. it's a lot like that actually. She still loves the leech though."

{ Pause for Author's OMG's herself and squeals.}

{ Okay, Done}

Instead of going home for the night, I went to my special meadow.

That's right.

It's mine now.

The grass was still wet, but I didn't give a damn and just slowly fell to my knees, bursting out in harsh, throat catching, gut-wrenching, body shaking tears.

I sobbed into the grass, the wetness not even trying to conceal the sounds of my loud tears.

My heart was heavy, my body was in pain, and I had the biggest fucking headache. I was miserable. Oh god, I was miserable.

My dream was beginning to come into affect. Jacob imprinted on Bella…

My sobbing renewed its loudness with that thought. I was crying because this "story" has truly become a love triangle, and one of my best friends is going to become so very hurt. And from the foreshadowing of the dream.. It would be my very best friend that would become hurt.

I hiccupped and quieted, tears slowing their descent from my eyes. This has got to be all wrong. Bella loves Edward. Bella loves Edward. Bella loves Edward.

Great. Now I was giving myself a headache. I sighed and allowed my hair to soak up the rain from the grass, not even caring about my appearance.

Regardless about dreams becoming reality, I knew for a fact that Bella was one of the most whiney ass, high maintenance in regards to attention and not actual money, attention hording girls.

She wouldn't choose between one of them till the other forcibly removed themselves from the triangle or… or… one of them dies.

I lower my head into the ground.

Oh god, why do I have the most fucked up thoughts, dreams, life, and friends?


	12. Chapter 12

That night, I slept hard. Crying takes a lot out of you, and I guarantee after a long, hard session of crying, you sleep like a log.

However, a soft thud coming from Bella's room jerked me awake and I sat up in the bed, straining my hearing.

At first there was a pause, and then I heard Bella whispering. My hearing was not amplified to hear her conversation, but I could hear her voice. The person that answered her made my eyebrows raise and I close my eyes debating whether I should tell them to shut the fuck up or to go somewhere else and chat.

I shook my head, and laid back in bed, taking some time to fall asleep.

Bella's screaming awoke me from my slumber, and I jerked awake, and made my way to Bella's door after kicking my sheets off of my form.

I stood in her doorway, watching her as she had silent tears running from her face and a look of anguish on her countenance.

I was about to go back to sleep, standing up and leaned against her doorway when I heard her whisper something that caught my attention.

"Werewolf. They're all werewolves…"

I close my eyes and turn my heel, but quick barefoot feet pounded on the floor and a small hand clenched my wrist.

Bella's face was pale, her lips chapped and a bland color, her eyes were a little crazed and red, and her breathing was borderline hyperventilating.

" I have to see Jacob. I'm going crazy. I think I'm crazy.. Werewolves… I think I'm going crazy. I need to see Jacob, and now."

I only nod, not knowing what to say to her and back into my room when she turns her back on me. I pinch the bridge of my nose with index finger and thumb and pull on pants and a tank top, throwing on a Forks High School Letterman jacket.

I looked out into the sunrise and took the keys to the bike.

Walking out the door, I run into Bella who was going too fast for her own good, and I grab a hold of her, keeping my hand on her to walk down stairs and to the garage.

When Charlie emerges from the kitchen, full uniform, I let go of her and disappear into the garage.

I could hear the entire conversation. Bella's near hysteria, Charlie's confusion. It set my teeth on edge, gave me a slight headache, and made me worry about the Pack's safety.

Charlie was about to command his men to shoot on side, just about. He didn't know of the Res's special genetic codes. Nor was anyone going to tell him.

I could see why Bella was very worried after this conversation.

However, after Charlie left, there wasn't a decision made to go to Jacob's yet. I stood there in the garage with a helmet under my arm waiting for something to happen. If it would happen.

Author's Note: I know this is very, very short, and substandard for my writing. This is just a slow spot for my character's development, and it's a different POV then the emotional wreck that is Bella. It's just observatory POV.


	13. Chapter 13

Molecular level:

Thin strands of venom were battling against DNA and white blood cells. Mostly it was the DNA and venom clashing together while the white blood cells tried to analyze the foreign strain of DNA that has strangely mutated to look similar to the original DNA.

Perhaps there were a few cases where the DNA and venom would cancel each other out, yet the venom had multiplied to an outstanding amount, one or two lost cases could be handled easily.

Suddenly a few strands of DNA were submerged in the venom, the white blood cells actively analyzing, and reanalyzing the venom and it's potency.

The DNA seemed to not fight, in fact, the DNA seemed to amplify both venom and itself as one, and slowly the process of combining DNA and venom into one carried itself out through the hosts' body.

The white blood cells watched the process very closely for any hidden agendas and would not be satisfied until the host turned out alive through this very process.

Normal POV.

Sweat dripped down my forehead as I drove Bella to Jacob's on the bike.

My body streamlined against the metal urging it to go faster as Bella hung on tight to my form and stayed deathly silent.

I parked the bike, hauled her off of it, and pulled her to Mr. Billy's door. Knocking firmly, I suck in a breath, when I hear his call through the door that it was open and I pushed it open with a foot.

Leaving Bella to talk to Billy I leaned against the door, trying to calm my heart rate, and I finally manage after several seconds.

When I look up, Billy is staring at me with an almost shocked look on his face.

I hear him mumble. " Not you too.."

I stare at him in shock, fear flooding my brain, and I shake my head. "No… I can't… not now..?"

He only shakes his head. "I should be keeping a watch on you, but as long as I don't tell you that you might be phasing, then you're still good to cross the boundary line."

I looked at him, curiously for a few seconds before nodding. " Do you have a shower I can borrow then?"

"Second door on the left down this hallway. Be weary though, it's Jacob's bathroom."

I shrug and follow his directions to the bathroom, shutting the door, but not locking.

Few minutes later, I was in the shower with cold, chilly water running down my face and shoulders.

I sighed in relief, closing my eyes.

I might be phasing soon.

I was torn out of my thoughts when Bella knocked on the door and told me we should go to the beach.

I raised my head, suspicious of her intentions.

I sigh softly speaking my consent before hurrying out of the shower and back into my clothes.

Ten minutes later we were driving towards the beach on my bike, my wet hair dripping down my back at the speed we were going at.

Surpassing the beach signs, I drove directly onto the sand, switching gears, and leaning down against the bike more heavily to drive on the sand.

"Right there." Bella pointed towards the little tree in the middle of no where and I slid to a stop a few feet in front of it.

I waited for her to get off before I did, and propped it easily against the trunk of the tree, making sure it wouldn't damage it, and I set the helmet onto the handle.

I laid back into the sand, body still damp from the shower, and spread myself out, letting my shins rest in the ocean.

I was borderline sleeping when I heard the lightest depression of sand besides the twitching of Bella and I sat up, staring over at the newcomer.

"Hi Bella. And Alyson." Jacob Black said, looking nervously at Bella.

I went back to fake sleep, just a little hurt. Is this story really all about Bella? I heard the pause before the " And Alyson." and I rolled my eyes behind my eye lids, before settling against the sand to listen to the upcoming conversation.

"Jake?"

"Billy told me you came by - didn't take you very long, did it? I knew you could figure it out."

" Yeah, I remember the right story now. Though I'm sure Aly already figured it out the first day here." I could hear the almost bitter tone and I held back a flinch from it.

" You could have just called." He reprimanded her harshly.

" I know." Since I couldn't see, I had to analyze their sounds from their voices and or bodies.

Not like as if I had hints from the past year about Bella's depression and Jacob's temper.

"Why did you come?" Jacob started to pace, angrily. I definitely heard his loud footsteps crush the sand in a continuous pattern.

" I thought it would be better face-to-face."

He snorted like I wanted to. " Oh, much better."

"Jacob, I have to warn you -" Bella started.

Jacob interrupted. " About the rangers and the hunters? Don't worry about it. We already know."

" Don't worry about it?" she almost shrieked. " Jake they've got guns! They're setting traps and offering rewards and-"

"We can take care of ourselves." He growled. " They're not going to catch anything. They're only making it more difficult - they'll start disappearing soon enough, too."

"Jake!"

" What? It's a fact."

It suddenly dawned on me, what she was thinking. She didn't know why werewolves were created and to what extent… she thought they were the murderers?

"How can you… feel that way? You know these people. Charlie's out there!"

I heard the sand stop moving. " What more can we do?" What is he talking about now… obviously there's a misunderstanding, but what tangent is he on?

"Could you . .. Well try to not be a werewolf?" she whispered.

Now that got me pissed. How DARE she?

I clenched my fingers into a fist, anger seething off of me.

" Like I have a choice about it! And how would that help anything, if you're worried about people disappearing?" he shouted.

" I don't understand you."

Well, my dear Bella-kins. Nobody understands you.

Jacob's voice turned darker, angrier. " You know what makes me so mad I could just spit?"

"You're such a hypocrite, Bella- they're you sit, terrified of me! How is that fair?"

"Hypocrite? How does being afraid of a monster make me a hypocrite?"

" Ugh! Would you listen to yourself?"

"What?" Bella sounded a tad desperate now, seconds away from bursting into tears just about.

"Well, I'm so sorry that I can't be the right kind of monster for you, Bella. I guess I'm just not as great as a bloodsucker, am I?"

" No you're not!" she shouted, she sounded outraged. " It's not what you are stupid! It's what you do!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" He roared, and I unclenched my fingers, because he was very pissed off, and I could almost hear him shaking.

"Jacob. Is it really necessary to kill people? Isn't there some other way? I mean, if vampires can find a way to survive without murdering people, couldn't you give it a try, too?"

I opened my eyes in shock, fearful at actually hearing her words instead of what I assumed in my head.

"Killing people?" Jacob asked.

" What did you think we were talking about?"

" I thought we were talking about your disgust for werewolves."

" No, Jake no, It's not that you're a … wolf. That's fine.

If you could just find a way not to hurt people… that's all that upsets me. These are innocent people, Jake, people like Charlie, and I can't just look the other way while you-"

Jake interrupted again. " Is that all? Really? You're just scared because I'm a murderer? That's the only reason?" I closed my eyes, again, sighing gently.

" Isn't that reason enough?"

He started to laugh.

"Jacob Black, this is so not funny!"

"Sure, sure." he laughed harder actually.

"You honestly don't mind that I morph into a giant dog?" I heard him embrace Bella.

" No! But I can't …breathe.. Jake!"

I heard the release of arms.

" I'm not a killer, Bella."

"Really?"

"Really."

I heard another hug, and opened my eyes, staring at the grey sky.

" Sorry I called you a hypocrite."

"Sorry I called you a murderer."

Jacob laughed.

There was a slight pause before Bella asked. " What about Sam? And the others?"

"Of course not. Don't you remember what we called ourselves?"

"Protectors?"

"Exactly."

"But I don't understand. What's happening in the woods? The missing hikers, the blood?"

Jacob's tone was serious, deadly serious. " We're trying to do our job, Bella. We're trying to protect them, but we're always just a little too late."

"Protect them from what? Is there really a bear out there, too?"

" Bella, honey, we only protect people from one thing- our one enemy. It's the reason we exist-because they do."

I shook my head slightly. Damn it Jacob. She doesn't need to know…

"I thought you, of all people, would realize what was really going on."

"Laurent. He's still here."

"Who's Laurent?"

" You know- you saw him in the meadow. You were there." Pause. " You were there, and kept him from killing me…"

"Oh the black-haired leech? Was that his name?"

" What were you thinking? He could have killed you! Jake, you don't realize how dangerous-"

Thank you Bella for implying that we were weak against one little vampire.

Jacob's blatant laugh interrupted her again. Thank god, her blasphemy was getting on my nerves again. " Bella, one lone vampire isn't much of a problem for a pack as big as ours. It was so easy, it was hardly even fun!"

" What was so easy?"

"Killing the bloodsucker who was going to kill you. Now I don't count that towards the whole murder thing. Vampires don't count as people."

Silence. Pure silence. Well.. This was also news to me. I stood up and began to pace in the ocean, my mind running miles a minute.

The Pack didn't tell me they killed Laurent. If Laurent was dead and there were still disappearances and dead bloodless people…..

I gasped softly. Victoria. Victoria is still here. Damn it, how could I forget. But what was really worrying me, was that Bella didn't know.

I glanced towards, Bella to see that she was frozen, Jacob no where in site, and I was pulled aside by Jacob, who was whispering hastily.

" Bella might do something stupid like she did last time. I regret telling her that Victoria is still around. Damn it, we're going to Sam's because I called a special meeting. Get there as soon as possible, you hear? No detours, whatsoever."

I hiss softly, under my breath as I nod and I jog to Bella, handing her the helmet before getting on my bike.

" We have to go now."

" Where are we going?" She looked freaked out, her lips trembling with barely suppressed hysteria.

" I don't know." I lied. As soon as she got on the bike, I was off, sand spraying everywhere as it responded to my will, and I immediately increased speed to 100 mph, making my hair fly out behind me wildly as I turned curves in the road.

My heart was beating fast. Oh how I love speed. I do, I do, I do.

Suddenly a huge figure appeared out in the road, and Bella screamed as I twisted the break, and pulled the handle to the side. With a squeal of tired, and pause for breath, the bike fishtailed slightly and stopped just centimeters away from Jacob Black who didn't even twitch.

" Change of plans, we're going in the forest." He stared at me, his dark eyes almost angry with the intense look. " Be careful. Follow me" He darted into the forest for few seconds before returning in wolf form, and he disappeared off the road, and I followed him.

It was clearly not a trail, and I was nervous about driving a bike with a passenger between these trees.

I needn't have worried because Jacob followed a seemingly unmarked trail that was clear and we suddenly pulled into a the road that was very familiar.

It was where I dropped Jacob's bike off with Jacob and Bella.

Jacob appeared in human form again, as I brought the motorcycle to a stop.

" This is good." He nodded at me and I nodded, staying on the bike as Bella and Jacob entered into their own conversation.

Why was I even here?

It's obviously not my story.


	14. Chapter 14

Jacob nudged me awake. I could tell it was Jacob since I felt his heat upon coming into the conscious world.

It was perfect timing, because the four boys came from between the trees.

I hung back, leaning against the tree, and closing my eyes. I still felt a little hot, actually.

I heard Sam yell at Jacob. More like chew him out. " What have you done, Jacob?"

He was further chewed out by Paul, who was always one angry mother fucker.

" Why can't you just follow the rules, Jacob? What the hell are you thinking? Is she more important than everything- than the whole tribe? Than the people getting killed?"

"She can help" the receiver whispered, very quietly.

My eyes opened, staring at him in confusion. It's unlike him to lay down and take shit from anyone…

"Help!" Paul screeched, his form beginning to unmistakably quiver. " Oh, that's likely! I'm sure the leech-lover is just dying to help us out!"

" Don't talk about her like that!" Jacob finally shouted right back, looking somewhat angry.

His form then began shaking angrily.

"Paul! Relax!" Sam commanded with a loud voice.

" Jeez, Paul. Get a grip" One of the other boys whispered. I identified him as Jared while being in my peripheral vision.

That obviously irritated Paul enough to give Jared a cold glare, lips curled back in obvious anger before turning his attention towards my direction.

Or perhaps, more accurately, Bella's direction.

My brain hardly analyzed what happen next. Only that my sight did slow itself down to make out the fine details, but I was in shock.

Jacob took a step in front of Bella, as if to protect her from Paul's gaze.

Paul fed up, yelled in outrage, " RIGHT PROTECT HER MAJESTY!" And he started to growl.

" PAUL!" Sam and Jacob both shouted.

The sight of the transformation awed me. Paul exploded in a huge ball of fur, the shape forming in very quick succession into that of a huge wolf.

He was crouched as if ready to pounce.

The very next split-second Jacob ran across the road and transformed himself into a very large creature and matched Paul-wolf head on.

I watched with rapt attention to the fight, not really thinking of anything. But damn, were they playing? Or really going at each other?

It looked like the latter because Jacob and Paul were at each other's throats.

Suddenly the sounds of a giants fighting quieted, leaving a rather peaceful nature sound behind as birds started chirping and moving after the fight stopped.

One of the guys started laughing loudly, and I couldn't help but grin a little.

" Well, there's something you don't see everyday" he snickered, nudging me and going to pick up the scraps of cloth left behind by the guys that transformed.

" I do." Jared mumbled. " Every single day." He followed suit and started picking up the other scraps of cloth and material.

" Aw, Paul doesn't lose his temper every day. Maybe two out of three." Embry was rather cheerful.

While the others were chatting with a sick looking Bella. I turned towards the trees, watching every waver of the tops of them with bated breath as if they could forewarn me.

No such luck.

"Yo, let's go Little A, we need to get to Emily's for some more clothes."

I turn towards Jared and stare at him with a raised eyebrow. "I'm almost as big as you are. I'm Little A?" I snort and turn towards my bike. "You'll have to lead the way."

By the time we got there, I could smell Emily's food from outside.

My stomach rumbled in thought of eating, and I just barely remembered to safely park the bike before going inside to eat.

After the introductions were said and done, I happened to sneak 4 muffins from the platter of food and had eaten all of them.

A game was on and I sat and stared blankly at it before being rudely interrupted by the arrival of Paul and Jacob acting brotherly.

As soon as Sam called a little meeting, Emily pulled me from the couch and upstairs.

"I want to see if you have scars, babe. I have a antidote for scars that heal ugly."

I stare at her before nodding, not really surprised.

I take off my shirt and bra and lay down on a large coffee table, relaxing. I was almost lethargic.

Though I was feeling pretty poorly this morning, I was feeling pretty alright, so I wasn't sure if I would phase today. There was still sweat on my body, and she had to get a towel to wipe it away to clearly see if there were any scars from the accidents, car and Cullen.

I heard her gasp. " You have absolutely no scars or blemishes…How.."

She examines the leg that was nearly crushed in the accident. " Not a one…"

I was a little sleepy because she had been sort of giving me a back massage as she examined the nonexistent lines of the cuts on my back.

"Our boys didn't heal this well until after they phased.."

My eyes flashed open to stare at her. " What are you implying?"

" I don't know."


	15. Chapter 15

The state of being alone in the world quickly got to me. Bella was spending almost all of her time with Jacob Black, only needing me if something went to shit, or something needed fixing.

I definitely felt used. But what could I do? She was a very good friend. And I don't think she noticed yet, she was in love with him too.

With no word from the Cullens, and my barely decent grades in school, I was barely living life outside of Cheer practice and the team.

Time passed very slowly, a painful long second and then another. I could feel my heart start to freeze, and I didn't know why. Yes, the Cullens were very good friends of mine, but why would my own heart be very slow to beat?

Me and my high IQ could not figure it out.

Speaking of the team, we were now practicing the first half of our competition while making up a routine that's purely show-off.

All of the team had standing back handsprings. Only a few had a wobbly back tuck, and there were a few hardcore tumblers that wanted the shining time to wow the crowd, including me.

To highlight the flexible girls and guys, there would be co-ed stunting routines all around the floor that would have the girl or guy in the air for at least a full minute. Outrageous? I know.

The almighty basket tosses would be last along with some dancing and that is what everyone planned out.

To get one minute of flier routine in the air, the flyers would have the first half of practice to choreograph.

The time soon came for Bella to call on me for some emotional support and I grudgingly accepted her invitation to go watch the La Push natives dive off the cliff.

What a stupid decision she made…

I came home after practice one day, a little sore because of the flying choreography, and was immediately pounced upon by Bella.

" Hey! Come to La Push with me tomorrow? The guys are going to go cliff diving and I was invited. I hate being the only girl, want to come?"

I shook my head, muttering. " Like I have any other choice…"

She squealed, hugged me and sprinted back upstairs, assumedly to her room.

I dragged myself to the kitchen to quickly make myself some food and I had my dinner, just thinking.

The next morning we packed a change of clothes in the backseat of my car, and we drove across the boundary.

Again as the third wheel. When will it ever end?

When we got to Billy's place, I knew something was not exactly right. I knocked on the door firmly and he responded.

"Come in, Bella."

I roll my eyes and mutter. " I'm not Bella," opening the door and walking in.

" What happened?" I immediately interrogated.

Billy watched my form with keen eyes before replying. " Embry, Jared, and Paul crossed a fresh trail early this morning. Sam and Jake took off to help. Sam was hopeful- she's hedged herself in besides the mountains. He thinks they have a good chance to finish this."

I nod, tuning Bella and her worrisome self out. God, girl, they are werewolves the natural enemy to vampires, they were bred to do this.

I furrow my eyebrows and nod to Billy. Interesting, what is her strategy to get past them to get to her?

Before I could inquire further, I was manhandled out the front door. " We'll be at the beach." she called and basically pulled me outside and towards the sand.

I gently shrugged myself out of her grip and took a hold of my shoulder, it was still somewhat sore from last night's practice.

I sat myself down in the sand, laying myself out in the sand to listen and watch Bella pace back and forth.

"I'm going to the cliff." Those few words caused my eyes to pop open and she was already off towards the small trail before I could stop her. That's if she would have been able to be stopped.

I had the worst feeling in my gut and I immediately got up to follow her. I was yelling, fear erupting out of my mouth.

"Bella, why are you going diving now? The guys that are strong enough to survive in the water aren't here! Bella? Bella, think about what you're doing!"

I was so focused on Bella and getting her to stop that I shrieked when an illusion of Edward Cullen shouted.

"Alyson, make her stop! You know I wouldn't allow this at all!"

I burst out in tears at his beautiful illusion, knowing it was only just that and I sprinted to the cliff. The cliff that Bella was already atop of and posed to dive.

" Fuck. Alyson stop her now!"

" BELLA, DON'T DO IT!" I was screaming now, and running up the cliff.

But she didn't listen to either of us and she dove with a scream of thrill and splashed almost soundlessly in the water.

I reached the top of the cliff, breath heaving, sweat beading on my forehead, and tears continuing their way down my cheeks.

I searched the water, murky as it was, and waited with baited breath for her to resurface.

But she didn't, and as the seconds ticked by, the hysteria was rising in my chest.

After 30 seconds of a wait, I jumped to the side as the illusion of Edward spoke.

"Go after her. Save her. For me."

I quickly stripped to underwear, sobbing hysterically for multiple reasons now.

I didn't even hesitate as I dove off the cliff, felt the exhilarating moment of weightlessness before falling gracefully into the ocean, my tears mixing with the salt water of the great body of water.

I opened my eyes, searching the water endlessly, faux-calmly and diving deeper.

I saw Bella with a smile on her face and I plowed into her at full speed, to knock some senses into her, and I wrapped an arm around her chest and heaved her towards the surface of the water.

When we broke the surface, I sobbed as I took deep breaths of air and began towing Bella to the beach. I only made it till where we were about ankle deep in the water dragging both of us onto the beach before I collapsed besides her, too tired and sore, and exhausted to move. Tears were still making their way down my face.

I was crying.. Because I missed Edward so, terribly much. I was crying because the illusion my mind festered of him told me to save Bella. For him. Like it was a gift since he couldn't.

I was crying because I wanted more of the illusion of Edward.

I felt hard, hot arms lift me from the water and wrap me in a towel. I just remembered I was in bra and panties, and the water wasn't exactly warm. I was shivering my ass off.

I only saw Jacob fret over Bella because she was unconscious, and I turned my head into the chest of whoever it was holding me, dripping tears on to the russet skin of the native.

Why? Why do I feel so broken?


	16. Chapter 16

Mysteriously it was Paul that had dragged me out of the water to make sure I was okay. He escorted, or carried me all the way to the house, apparently being ordered to disregard the treaty. I'm not entirely too sure What was going on but I definitely did not know how we got to the house so fast.

Paul gingerly took me into my bathroom, turned on the water and stared at me for several minutes before uncharacteristically giving me a tense, long hug. He allowed tears to drench his chest, and gave me the comforting I needed to pull myself together enough to get into the shower.

I definitely needed a stress reliever and another long sobbing and tears session. So I stripped the remaining clothes off and dumped myself in the shower, sobbing… again.

God, how this was unfair!

I cried till I was numb.

I wanted my Mom and Dad.

I wanted to never have met Bella.

I wanted to see and hug and kiss the Cullens.

I wanted to beat the Cullens to a pulp for leaving me here.

I wanted to bring James back from the dead and hand his ass to him myself for leaving me alive.

I wanted to forget that I l…

I immediately stopped that train of thought with a gasp and shook my head.

I stared into the head of the shower, non-seeingly.

I didn't sleep at all. Or actually not much. My throat was burning and I was burning in general.

I didn't know what was going on, but I was sobbing uncontrollably, shrieking into the pillow and withering against the sheets, getting them very tangled around my body.

I don't know how it started, but it felt as if my blood was burning away. It was bad.

Suddenly I vomited, stomach acid.. And blood spilled onto my sheets, and I tried, to control the area it was in, but it was so painful to move.

Tears ran down my face harder, as I continued vomiting, for what felt like hours.

Finally I stopped heaving, but the pain intensified several fold when it felt like my bones were shattering in their places. I immediately flopped into the pillow to let loose several strangled screams, barely enough breath to support them.

I had hit the floor with a thud, bloody sheets still wrapped around my form as pain flashed behind my eyes. The worse headache I've ever had flared, making me see nothing but white, and I started to shake in fear and pain.

I pulled myself barely to the corner of the bed, tears flooding down my face still, and rested my head against it.

*God, please relieve me of this agony….*

I tore my head away from the bed post and rammed my head against it as hard as I could. Black spots danced in my vision and I cried out, doing it again. And once more until I passed out into oblivion.

::::Dream Sequence:::::::

I was sobbing and shrieking on the ground a dance studio. Not just any dance studio, but the one back where Bella used to dance.

James…

He had knocked me unconscious in the real life rendition.. But I was fully conscious as James proceeded to turn my head and nip almost playfully at my ear.

My eyes widen, and I sucked in a huge breathe as he bit into my ear, causing me to relinquish a loud scream as this bite hurt much more than it should, because it affected my entire body.

Twitching with pain, I barely saw James's crazed grin of glee.

" My, it's already starting?" He snickers, quieting me with one hand and turning my head to reveal the other side of my neck.

He dragged his teeth up my neck and actually shushed me when I started to whimper. I didn't register the pain of the second bite, but I felt the aftershock as another wave of fire erupted on the other side of my head.

I ground my teeth into each other, staring at James with pure hatred.

The hatred and pain were coming together in a violent concoction and I started to shake.

Hatred overrode pain, and I saw a split second of fear on James's face before I let it take over and I …shifted.. Or transformed.

Into a huge wolf.

It hurt a lot at first, bones elongating, thickening, muscles redefining and strengthening. The change felt so real.

::::::::::;Reality:::::::::::

I awakened with a jump. And then yelped, but I freaked out because that jump smashed my body against the ceiling fan. It didn't hurt, but I was freaked because the yelp sounded like that of a panicked animal.

My human instincts were taken over by animal and I immediately begin searching out for an exit, and upon finding nothing but a small window immediately let out a whine of distress and MADE an entrance by leaping out the window.

My human mind, not too far gone mourned the window, thankfully it being really large, but those curtains were expensive, and the damage to the window would be expensive to repair.

The saliva glands in my mouth worked overtime as my large mass began to limberly dodge around obstacles and trees and remain silent.

I heard sounds of surprise in my head before becoming annoyed with them and blocked my mind off from whoever the hell was in my head.

I halted, my head turned up sniffing, a burning beginning in the back of my throat, and I pointed my nose towards the most amazing scent I've ever smelled.

I turned heel, muscles coiled and sprang off, predatorily going after the delicious smell.

Mere minutes later, I had crouched, staring at the human prey as she unknowingly emitted a smell just like a sweet candy.. Chocolate.

The human part of me immediately recognized her as Emily, and struggled with the part of her that was about to commit a murder.

I crouched forward and muscles tensed as my sight, hearing, and sense of smell heightened tremendously and I pounced.

Emily released a scream, scattering the gardening tools in her hands and turned to run into the house.

I emitted a loud yelp in glee, quickly getting in her way to prevent her from going inside, and then I pounced on her.

She emitted a quite nice scream as I barely put an effort to holding her down on the ground and I sat my giant self right where I was, legs tucked underneath and nuzzled her with my muzzle.

God was I happy to play with my meal, and I trapped her with my paws and began to lick up and down her face, not minding the hair and tears as my teeth begin nipping at her neck. The blood begin flowing gently from the bites and I took a deep breath, enamored with the scent.

That deep breath was all I could have when several loud growls interrupted me and I groveled in defense, hackles rising, to protect my pray.

worry was very clear in their eyes as the leader let out a loud growl, his fur spiked with rage and I matched him with a louder growl, pissed that my meal was interrupted.

what happened next was a retarded lack of distraction on my part. Emily had gathered enough wits to search for a weapon in my momentary distraction and had dug the spade of a little shovel deep into my hind left leg causing me to immediately start veining and whimpering in distress in pain.

Fuck…. I am so fucked if I don't get the fuck out now..

I had crashed into the house a little in my dance of pain, and was thinking clearly enough to not squish Emily before shaking off the debris of my crash and sprinting off like hell was at my heels.

For it was. The chase was very scary, but still exhilarating.

I began to pick up distance feminine screams and I recognized it as Emily's. what happened?

A distorted picture of Emily's face surfaced into my mind causing me to almost stumble into a tree.

Her scars .. . were bleeding.. As if completely new and having just been received. I know I didn't do that to her..

I ran with renewed energy, quickly losing the trail of the last werewolf still following me before stumbling into a clearing.

Panting filled the air as I sensed if I was safe before succumbing to the wound and collapsing with a quiet whine.

My human mind melded with the animal mind and I could now clearly control myself as I was mourning.

Oh my god… I almost killed Emily… why was I hungry?

I just want to go back to human form…..

As soon as I thought that, my form morphed into my smaller more human form.

I sniffled and released a small cry as I pulled the garden tool from my thigh and let it drop to the ground.

I curled in on myself in fetal position, laying completely naked on the ground.

What am I?

I fingered the two earrings that managed to survive the transformation of both ears, realization dawning on me and then horror.

I…I'm a fucking hybrid…

I thought I had no tears left.

Oh I thought wrong.

I came to hours later, immediately jumping up and dry heaving into the grass. My throat was unbearably burning and I caught a scent of something before I knew I was running towards it.

I flashed in between the trees, tackling a deer, and draining it's life in seconds flat. After unattaching myself from the clean kill, I was breathing very hard, licking my lips and struggling to control myself.

"And that my friends is my vampire half" I announced dryly to the carcass.

I obviously did not want to ever hurt a human again. I probably went overkill when making sure my thirst was sated before climbing a tree quickly to figure out where I am.

After finding the way to go with my very indeed sharp eyes I dove out of the tree, literally, landed on my feet with a fierce grin and ran.

Boy..did I run.

Breathlessly, I entered the broken window, gardening tool turned weapon in my hand and looked at the mess I made from last night.

I grimaced and turned away, staring at my reflection in the mirror.

I dropped the shovel, staring intently at my reflection… Oh my god… I ..was beautiful.. I did not see an entirely different girl staring back at me.

I saw hair, lengthened, glossy and shinning in tight braids down my back. No longer had I dreads. My eyes were a sharp maroon color though they had a tinge of gold in them. My eyelashes were thicker and longer, cheekbones a little more defined, and jaw strong.

My body was.. Changed too. My arms and legs rippled with subtle sinewy muscle. Not much fat on me anymore, yet my breasts and hips were still defined and my height had increased.. Again.

People are very well going to call me Amazon now… fuck.

I closed my eyes, dreading having to call Alice for shopping…

A pang of deep grief and sadness affected my heart, and I immediately turned from the mirror and gathered the sheets, dumped then in the washing machine, scrubbed the floor, scrubbed myself, and changed into sweats and a tank top. All in a manner of mere minutes.

I looked into the mirror, seeing a slight flush on my cheeks, with my enhanced vision, and shook my head.

" I could definitely get used to this part."

I grinned at myself before catching a black shadow in the mirror and turned quickly to look out the window.

Carlisle's black Mercedes rested outside of Bella's house, and my beating heart skipped a beat, all blood leaving my face.

" Oh my God..." I barely distinguished my actual voice from thought.


	17. Chapter 17

I dead sprinted from the window down the stairs out my door and across the street.

The door flew open and my breath caught when I saw Alice Cullen.

And Bella wrapped around her sobbing her ass off.

I sagged against the doorway, just watching, not believing my eyes.

Why was she here?

I watched, my sharp eyes pinpointing the way her eyes had turned dark and her lips clamped shut.

In the background, I simply watched the conversation.

"It's my own fault. It's been too long since I hunted. I shouldn't let myself get so thirsty. But I was in a hurry today." She gave a glare at me first, then Bella. The glare directed towards Bella was harsh. " Speaking of which, would you like to explain to me how you're alive?"

I heard Bella's heart stop, and her swallowing. She whispered. " You saw me fall…" It was no question.

"No, I saw you JUMP" Her eyes had arrived the tiniest of increments.

Alice shook her head. " I told him this would happen, but he didn't believe me. 'Bella promised. Don't be looking for her future, either. We've done enough damage'" Her imitation of Edward's smooth voice caused shivers to run up and down my back.

"But just because I'm not looking doesn't mean I don't see. I wasn't keeping tabs on you, I swear. Bella, It's just that I'm already attuned to you. When I saw you jumping, I didn't think, I just got on a plane. I knew I would be too late, but I couldn't do nothing. And then I get here, thinking maybe I could help Charlie Semenov, and you drive up." She shook her head, near hysterical, her eyes fluttering from left to right and back. " I saw you go into the water and I waited and waited for you to come up, but you didn't! What happened? And how could you do that to Charlie? Did you stop to think what this would to do him? And my brother? Do you have any idea what Edward…"

Bella interrupted quickly. " Alice, I wasn't committing suicide."

I however, rolled my eyes; I disagree Bella.

"Are you saying you didn't jump off a cliff?"

"No, but it was for recreational purposes only."

Alice's face stared at Bella's suspiciously.

"I'd seen some of Jacob's friends cliff diving. It looked like fun and I was bored"

A pause.

"I didn't think about how the storm would affect the currents. Actually, I didn't think about the water much at all."

I could clearly tell Alice didn't seem to believe her.

"So if you saw me go in, why didn't you see Jacob?"

I turned my back on her, completely irritated and pissed, my body trembling the slightest amount.

"It's true that I probably would have drowned if Jacob hadn't jumped in after me. Well, okay, there's no probably about it. But he did, and he pulled me out I guess he towed me back to shore, though I was kind of out for that part. It couldn't have been more than a minute that I was under before he grabbed me. How come you didn't see that?"

I turned again, watching Alice frown. " Someone pulled you out?"

I almost snorted.

"Yes. Jacob saved me."

I bit my lip hard, tears threatening to fall down my cheeks as I turned my back on them again. I left the door open, leaving them to talk and I sat near the front left wheel of the Mercedes and let my tears go.

I wasn't the only fucking girl in Forks, Washington of the United States of fucking America that was suffering. I looked up at the night sky and loss myself to my tears for a little while.

I let out a deep breath, hearing the heartbeats of several animals, smelling the scents old and new of pets and people, and seeing the individual veins in a leaf of a tree several hundreds of feet away.

I put my hand on my breast, feeling the comfortable, human sounding heart beat and the warmth of a warm-blooded body and sagged against the tire of the car more heavily.

"Why is it that your future is fuzzy? I can't see much whenever anything has to do with you. It's like a half completed vision."

I rolled my head to look at Alice, raising an eyebrow at her, and then shrug, sighing lightly as she wraps her arms around me in an ice cold hug.

I shivered a little before noticing that my body temperature steadily rose to a higher temperature, stopping my shivering and allowing me to comfortable rest against her.

I didn't pay any mind to it right now.

"I don't know, but I am very glad, and pissed at seeing you. Though I wish it was Edward instead. So I could actually shove him through a wall…."

She chuckled. " Charlie will be home soon and I need to go hunt."

I nodded at her unsaid command and stood up, towering easily over her small frame.

" We'll go shopping for your new wardrobe soon too. Don't think I forgot."

I groaned and flipped her off, hearing her tinkling laughter before valuing into the Swan household.

I heard Bella's heart beat fast, rooms away, with the television on.

I silently laid myself across a random couch, closing my eyes but keeping my other senses sharp.

Before long, I heard Alice and Bella whispering to each other and Charlie's cruiser drove up the cul-de-sac.

I ran out to greet him only to stop. Charlie had his eyes on the ground as he walked up the driveway, body posture indicating great grief. I embraced him, and he held me tight.

"Harry died."

I closed my eyes and continued to hug him.

"I'm really going to miss him."

I didn't really exactly know who Harry was but I am here to give Charlie comfort.

And the fact that I was nearly eye level with the man probably caused him to take a step back and sigh.

"I thought you were Bella, Hun, I'm so sorry." I cut him off, hugging him fiercely again.

"Don't worry about it, how's Harry's wife? What was her name… Suzanne?"

He didn't answer for a long time until I noticed that his heart was beating faster than normal, and he had pretty much frozen.

I took a good look at him, and cursed under my breath. Fuck.. I made him stop thinking.

I carefully untangled myself from his arms and coughed politely behind a closed fist.

"She seems dazed, like she hasn't grasped it yet. God, there seems to be a lot going on there. I heard Sam's fiancée got mauled by a bear again. Sam and Sue are taking care of her, knocking out two birds with one stone. Making Sue busy." My hearing expertly picked up his quiet voice. " Those poor kids. Leah's your age, and Seth only fourteen."

I couldn't fully suppress the gasp that left my lips. " Bella should probably talk to you then." I had heard Bella turn off the television and walk towards the open front door.

I watched the night, looking back at the house before looking at the sky again.

I had something I needed to take care of.

I turned an ear towards the house, making sure Bella and Alice were preoccupied before running up to my room, gathering my car keys and wallet and running human speed down the hallway and out the door.

It wasn't too late, I could get away with going to Wal-Mart and then La Push.

Figuring that I needed a few outfits as well, a shopping trip was planned in only a few minutes and I sped off to Seattle.

It was very easy to speed in the charger, and I didn't even blink an eyelid when my eyes caught the needle steadily rising past a 120 mph speed.

Ignoring the whispers and stares of the male and female genders I hurriedly got what I needed with a few clothing articles and went to check out.

The male cashier was a young male probably from college, and he was staring quite enamored at me.

I risked a wide smile at him.

"Will that be all?"

I nodded silently, quickly swiping my credit card and entering the pin before grabbing my bags and walking out. Once in the car, I tore open the package of pens, and the card and wrote the most sincere apology to Emily.

Definitely not signing it, I sprayed a lot of perfume on it before carefully placing it in the envelope and spraying it on the envelope too.

Only a few minutes later did I find myself on the road again, headed towards La Push.. It took no time at all to pass the border/treaty line and I stopped the car, right at the border.

I turned on my hazards and carefully picked up the covered envelope set it in my new messenger bag and hung it around my body. I leaned against the driver's side of the car and closed my eyes, losing myself in the various scents. Animal, human, the slightly musky scent of werewolves, the metallic scent of old cars. I called to mind Emily's scent, and immediately found it.

Before I knew it, I was off, sprinting between trees, jumping ravines and not paying any attention to the blurring of greenery.

When I got to Sue's house, I heard two heartbeats within the walls, beating very calmly, and heard the soft snores of two females. I tried the back door, and upon finding it locked, cursed under my breath. I leaned my head against the door, desperately wishing that there was a way to get in without breaking in, or breaking the door.

I fell THROUGH the door and onto the floor with a loud gasp, and I covered my mouth, staying very still, barely breathing awaiting a sound to indicate if someone awakened. I ran, super speed up the stairs and to the door where Emily's smell was the "loudest". I calmed my breathe, and pressed my hand into the door, hoping that I would go through it again. Someone up there answered my prayers because I effortlessly "phased" through the door, and caught sight of Emily's face covered in bandage. I fell to my knees silently whispering my apologies over and over again. I left the envelope in her hand, quietly spraying the perfume once more onto it and onto myself before opening the window and diving out of it.

I landed lightly, and made my way back to my car, keeping eyes and ears open for any passing dogs.

**I feel like my chapter**s are so short..


	18. Chapter 18

Carefully, I peeled off the layers of sweat-soaked clothing. I hurriedly slip on a sports bra and shorts before throwing the dirty clothing into a bag. No use getting the brand new car that was meant to be Bella's birthday gift smelly.

I was on the road in only a few minutes later. The closer I got to Charlie's house, the more my heart worked, and the more my breathing labored, and the harder it was for me to think that nothing was wrong.

My suspicions were proven when I parked in front of Jacob's truck, with two of the guys chilling in it.

I stepped out, grabbed my bag and strode right up to the passenger's seat.

"Why are you guys here? This is a blatant violation of the treaty." My voice sounded harsh in my ears, blood roaring in my ears. I could still hear though.

" You know about the treaty?" Embry asked, his tone suspicious.

" Stop circumventing my original question. What. Are. You. Guys. Doing. Here?" I hissed at them, eyes narrowing.

"Fine! We didn't trust Jacob to come here alone. We smelled a fresh vampire scent, a Cullen, and we came here to give Jacob support."

The roaring in my ears got louder. Something was telling me to go into the house.

"Yes, one of them visited Bella to see how she was doing. You know that the Cullens are very protective of Bella, right? Or… are you making sure that Jacob doesn't get too angry?"

Their stiff postures proved my thought correct.

"Interesting. I'll see you two later. I am needed elsewhere."

I could smell Alice's sweet vampric smell as well as Jacob's musky earthly scent coming from the house and I knew that it wasn't a good thing for them to be near Bella at the same exact time.

"Shoot, ow!" I heard Bella complain from inside the house after the sounds of physical clumsiness..

There is a sudden, painful silence, making me pause and hold my breath.

Alice's voice made my heart race painfully, causing me to pant:: "Bella," she choked.

Before anyone could continue the conversation I had stepped into the door way and took in the sight of Bella consoling Alice on the bottom step of the stairs, and Jacob standing mere feet in front of the door. Her eyes were dazed and far away, her face drawn. Her body trembled in a horror likely to never be expressed to its full extent.

My voice was a strange voice to my ears. Eerily calm and commanding. "Alice, what's wrong?"  
>"Edward," my eyes closed automatically in pain. That one name had the power to put all four of us in different states of emotion. If a vampire and werewolf could look sick, Alice and Jacob sure could. I didn't even want to know how I looked. I carefully and painstakingly schooled my facial expression into a non-expression and took slow steps towards Alice.<p>

Before my thoughts could process any further, Bella started to waver and sway before finally collapsing. Jacob got to her first, cussing under his breath, which I could definitely hear, and carried her to the couch. .  
>"What did you do to her?" Jacob's furious voice thundered through the house, causing me to quickly awaken and hurry to the couch to kneel besides Bella and try to snap her out of the daze.<p>

Alice ignored him. "Bella? Bella, snap out of it. We have to hurry."

My eyebrows raised, seeing that Bella was very slowly starting to refocus her eyes.

" Hurry to where?"  
>"Stay back," Jacob warned, a growl starting to erupt from his chest.<p>

"Calm down, Jacob Black," Alice ordered. "You don't want to do that so close to her."

"I don't think I'll have any problem keeping my focus," he retorted, but his voice sounded a little cooler.

"Alice? Alyson?" Bella weakly asked "What happened?"

"I don't know," she suddenly wailed. "What is he thinking?"

I stared at Alice in consternation. It was very rare that she didn't know what's happening. Nothing ever good benefited from this type of situation..  
>Alice was pulling a small silver phone from her bag and I watched as she dialed a number with very fast fingers.<p>

"Rose, I need to talk to Carlisle now." Her voice whipped through the words.

I could hear Rosalie's voice, but not separate words.

"Fine, as soon as he's back. No, I'll be on a plane. Look, have you heard anything from Edward?"

Alice paused now, listening with an expression that grew more appalled every second. Her mouth opened into a little O of horror, and the phone shook in her hand.  
>"Why?" she gasped. "Why would you do that, Rosalie?"<br>Whatever the answer was, it made her jaw tighten in anger. Her eyes flashed and narrowed.  
>"Well, you're wrong on both counts, though, Rosalie, so that would be a problem, don't you think?" she asked acidly. "Yes, that's right. She's absolutely fine—I was wrong… It's a long story… But you're<br>wrong about that part, too, that's why I'm calling… Yes, that's exactly what I saw."  
>Alice's voice was very hard and her lips were pulled back from her teeth. "It's a bit late for that, Rose. Save your remorse for someone who believes it." Alice snapped the phone shut with a sharp twist of her fingers.<br>Her eyes were tortured as she turned to face me.  
>"Alice," Bella blurted out quickly.<br>"Alice, Carlisle is back, though. He called just  
>before…"<br>She stared at her blankly. "How long ago?" she asked in a hollow voice.  
>"Half a minute before you showed up."<br>"What did he say?" She really focused now, waiting for her answer.  
>"I didn't talk to him." My eyes flickered to Jacob.<br>Alice and I turned our penetrating gazes on him. He flinched, but held his place next to Bella. He sat awkwardly, almost as if he were trying to shield me with his body.  
>"He asked for Charlie, and I told him Charlie wasn't here," Jacob muttered resentfully. My mind was racing coming up with different scenarios of what could possibly happening. Neither one of them were good. My heart was growing heavier with each passing second and my heart labored to continue beating past the stifling emotion.<br>"Is that everything?" Alice demanded, her voice like ice.  
>"Then he hung up on me," Jacob spat back. I could see tremors rolling through his body.<p>

I interjected, deceptively calm. " Carisle would never hang up on someone, no matter who.. or what they are."  
>"You told him Charlie was at the funeral," Bella reminded him.<br>Alice jerked her head back towards her "What were his exact words?"  
>"He said, 'He's not here,' and when Carlisle asked where Charlie was, Jacob said, 'At the funeral.'"<br>Alice moaned and sank to her knees. I immediately sank right next to her, gripping her by both her shoulders, breathing starting to get harder. "Alice! Alice, what's wrong?"  
>"Tell me Alice," Bella whispered.<br>"That wasn't Carlisle on the phone," she said hopelessly.

I gasped hard, wide eyes turning to Alice. " No...oh god, no..." The pieces were starting to fit very clearly.  
>"Are you calling me a liar?" Jacob snarled.<br>Alice ignored him, focusing on my face.  
>"It was Edward." The words were just a choked whisper. "He thinks Bella's dead."<br>"Rosalie told him she killed herself by jumping off the cliff."I said solemnly, quietly. It wasn't a question.  
>"Yes," Alice admitted, her eyes flashing hard again.<br>"In her defense, she did believe it. They rely on my sight far too much for something that works so imperfectly. But for her to track him down to tell him this! Didn't she realize… or care… ?" Her voice faded away in horror.

"And when Edward called here, he thought Jacob meant my funeral," Bella started to come to the same conclusion as the rest of us.

Alice looked at her strangely. "You're not upset," she whispered.  
>"Well, it's really rotten timing, but it will all get straightened out. The next time he calls, someone will tell him… what… really…" Bella trailed off because Alice's expression started to fall and her head started to shake. I clung to Alice tighter, her body held rigid. She was panicking, her expression twisting and horror uncovering itself from the planes of her face.<p>

"He's not ..calling back?" I asked, barely enough breath to sustain the sentence.  
>"Bella," Alice whispered. "Edward won't call again. He believed her." <p>

Silence fell upon us thickly,and I swallowed the fear back down my throat.

"Alice, what is he doing to do?" My voice rasped out, as if I had nothing to drink in years.

There was a pause as she delivered the news with utmost despair. " He's going to Italy."

I immediately questioned. " What's in Italy?"

Alice turned her gaze to me and clung to me back, sobbing out the words. " The most powerful and ancient vampires in the world. The Volturi aren't to be messed with unless a vampire, or human wants to die."

My eyes searched hers relentlessly, the faded gold color reflecting my face and I closed my eyes tightly. " He's...he's going to provoke them into killing him?" My voice was a lot shriller than I thought, for Alice yanked herself upright, taking me with her, and I stood, leaning all of my weight on her.

My mind was racing, comprehending the new information.

Bella's own tantrum was almost unnoticed.

"No! No, no, no! He can't! He can't do that!" she shrieked.  
>"He made up his mind as soon as your friend confirmed that it was too late to save you."<br>"But he… he left! He didn't want me anymore! What difference does it make now? He knew I would  
>die sometime!"<br>"I don't think he ever planned to outlive you by long," Alice said quietly.

My breath left my body, and I had to sag against Alice again.  
>"How dare he!" she screamed. "What do we do?" She begged Alice. "Can't we call him?<p>

She was shaking her head. "That was the first thing I tried. He left his phone in a trash can in  
>Rio—someone answered it…" she whispered.<br>"You said before we had to hurry. Hurry how? Let's do it, whatever it is!"  
>"Bella, I—I don't think I can ask you to…" She trailed off in indecision.<br>"Ask me!" she commanded.

"We may already be too late. I saw him going to the Volturi… and asking to die." We both  
>cringed, and my eyes filled with tears, but I frustratingly refused to let them drop. "It all depends on what they choose. I can't see that till they make a decision.<br>"But if they say no, and they might—Aro is fond of Carlisle, and wouldn't want to offend him—Edward  
>has a backup plan. They're very protective of their city. If Edward does something to upset the peace, he<br>thinks they'll act to stop him. And he's right. They will."

"So if they agree to grant his favor, we're too late. If they say no, and he comes up with a plan to offend  
>them quickly enough, we're too late. If he gives into his more theatrical tendencies… we might have<br>time."  
>"Let's go!"<br>"Listen, Bella! Whether we are in time or not, we will be in the heart of the Volturi city. I will be  
>considered his accomplice if he is successful. You will be a human who not only knows too much, but<br>also smells too good. There's a very good chance that they will eliminate us all—though in your case it  
>won't be punishment so much as dinnertime."<br>"This is what's keeping us here?" I asked boldly "That will not happen if I have any say about it.

They all turned to me. "Oh, no, only Bella's going. It's bad enough that there's one human trying to stop a suicidal vampire." Alice hissed at me.

Bella, to my utmost chagrin echoed her statement. " Why would you want to go? You have no relation to any of the Cullens and I'm the one that is the girlfriend of Edward.

Silence echoed throughout the house as her words fully sank into everyone's processing minds. I couldn't the rage as I started to shake and I released myself from Alice and strode right up to Bella.

"You may be the girlfriend of Edward Cullen, and the good friends of the rest of the Cullens, Bella." I spat her name out, just now able to get the shaking under control, though my fists were clenched. " But I am his mother-fucking best friend and I care deeply for every single Cullen, including airhead Rosalie. You are not stopping me from going, and I'll be damned if you dismiss the relationships I have with the Cullens as petty." I continued my tone turning icy as I moved towards the stairs. " Write a note to Charlie and I'll sign it too. We are both going."

I nodded to Alice. " I'll call the airlines." She stated, a clear look of disbelief on her face as she actually fumbled for her cell phone.

I turned to stare piercingly at Jacob before running upstairs and into my room.

I felt a sort of deja vu as I threw myself to the floor and reached for a stylish backpack. Tears were now running down my face as I through dark clothing into the bag, I stripped off my clothes and changed into shorts and a small t-shirt, pulling on a hoody to go over it and shoving my feet into socks and running shoes.

I soundlessly sobbed, remembering the last time I did something like that; my parents were alive and we were running from psycho's who had us on a hit-list.

I shoved toiletries into the bag, extra socks and shoes and my passport, driver's licenses, a few hundred dollar bills, and a banking card into my bag. Heading to the bathroom, I splashed a lot of cold water on my face, and returned to my room. I went over everything and zipped up the bag. I sighed running a hand through my braids and feeling them start to lose their neat appearance. I'd have to do them on the plane.

I could hear the quiet argument between Alice and Jacob as I take a second to grab a pair of sunglasses.

"You might control yourself on occasion, but these leeches you're taking her to—" Jacob was furiously  
>accusing her.<p>

I threw my bag over my shoulder, rolling her eyes. My, my are they both hypocritical.  
>"Yes. You're right, dog." Alice was snarling, too. "The Volturi are the very essence of our kind—they're<br>the reason your hair stands on end when you smell me. They are the substance of your nightmares, the  
>dread behind your instincts. I'm not unaware of that."<br>"And you take her to them like a bottle of wine for a party!" He shouted.  
>"You think she'd be better off if I left her here alone, with Victoria stalking her?"<br>"We can handle the redhead." Jacob muttered almost indignantly.  
>"Then why is she still hunting?" I could hear and see the grin on Alice's face as I came down the stairs.<p>

Bella, too, was standing on the stairs, staring at the two.

"As good a couple the two of you make, we should probably get going." I drawled out, causing both of them to glare at me with almost the same exact expression on their faces, which only caused me to grin humorlessly.

I jumped the last few stairs past Bella and strode to the door, stopping side by side with Jacob. My body felt the heat of his, even from a slightly far distance, and I felt my core temperature react to balance itself. My eyes stared straight ahead, as I spoke to him.

"Take care of Charlie, please. He's not going to like that both of us have disappeared." I gripped his shoulder with one hand and went on my way, leaving Bella inside with him.

I took one look at the Mercedes and dropped my stuff in the passenger's seat. " You think this is faster than my Dodge?" I asked gracefully, sliding into the seat and clicking the seat belt into place.

She revved the engine loudly, one delicately strong hand on the stick shift. " Please, Carisle's just like the rest of us when it comes to speed."

I chuckled dryly, watching as Bella speed walked to the car. When she got into the backseat she rolled down to look out the window, and shouted. " Take care of Charlie!"

I had to admire the handling of the car as Alice spun it around , causing the tires to screech, and threw the car into drive in one seamless motion.


	19. Chapter 19

Delving into my mind, I began to plan my pursuit of Edward. I needed to call people. Shifting , I pulled out my wallet and trifled through it for my social security cards.

i Portia Lyderson /i

There was a social security number on it, and below the number there was a twenty term code filled with letters, numbers, and the Greek alphabet.

I went through the contacts of my cell phone, scrolling down until I got to the contact entitled 'Hotline'. Very inconspicuous but I knew who exactly I was calling if I ever had to call that number.

It was a number only to be used in dire emergencies that required a lot of cash, global relocation or traveling, and the use of a alias.

I deposited the card and cell back into my pockets promising myself:

iSoon./i

We got the last minute flight to Italy that departs in only 30 minutes. Once we got our tickets I glanced at Bella and Alice deeming them to non-observatory enough and strode off. Finding myself in a corner near the boarding gate, I discreetly checked for anyone within 10 meters of myself and then dialed the contact, Hotline.

"Hello! Welcome to Porter Enterprises. Listen to the following choices to help get you situated. Press 1 for a Domestic Violence Lawyer. Press Two for Uninsured Vehicle Accident Lawyer..."

I tapped the nails against the metal part of the arms of the chair and waited for the electronic lady to shut up.

I pressed 8 and the phone went silent and clicked, mimicking the sound of a dropped call.

I held the phone to my ear more firmly and announced the code from the social security card into the device.

" Mu, Pi, Phi, 1, B, 7, 4, Y, A, P, 4, 9, Theta, 2, Delta, 0, Gamma, Z, A, Delta."

The phone clicked again, and seconds later the professional voice of an operator answered.

"Portia, you've never called before. What can I do for you?" Chloe, the operator for this half of the day answered, oddly cheerful.

"Listen very carefully, Chloe. It is the to the utmost importance that you follow my instruction to the letter. One: I need you to secure an extremely fast motorcycle in the city of Volterra, Italy. Two: I need a beacon and communicative device attached on the helmet. Third: I need you to track the location of a person. Edward Cullen. Forks High School Junior, 17, lives in Forks, Washington. You can get the facial profile from the school registry. I need all and every cameras you can get on him. Track him and relay directions to the communicative device on the helmet. Four: I need motorcycle riding appropriate clothing. I need to blend into shadows. I need it dropped off at the airport.

"You so like this guy if you're stalking him. He he, and he must be rich too! I mean Italy?! Tell you what, I'll even reserve a table at an expensive restaurant and have a little black number waiting for you in a conveniently parked taxi. What do ya say?"

I scowled, looking up as the announcer mentions the sections to be seated for my flight.

"No THANK you, Chloe." I hung up the phone and rushed towards Alice and Bella to board the flight together.

I had to stop gripping the cell phone, the poor machine gave a little squeak. I took a deep breath as the plane lifted off of the ground in seconds. I close my eyes, pressing my lips together in a straight line and the muscles in my jaw and cheek twitch.

Trying to fall asleep when you're this wired is an extremely bad idea. I sink into my mind, employing deep breathing exercises to hopefully get a few hours of sleep.

" I think Bella is the only chance if there is a chance..."

I had to grip the arms of my seat lest I let loose an agonizing sound. I was wide awake now.

I glared at the seat in front of me.

iHow dare they rule me out of the equation as if I didn't have a chance in hell to stop and save Edward/i

I bit my lip to keep a sob and shudder in. I have to save Edward from this.. from himself.

I willed myself back to a mental state of false calm and soaked up every word that Alice and Bella had about the Volturi.

I could feel myself slightly trembling, and I didn't even care to hide it. Just like I didn't care to hide that I was technically eavesdropping.

The sounds of small talk in whispers filled her ears, helping to tempt her towards sleeping.

Every other person's problems seemed miniscule compared to my own.

A daughter's birthday.

Cheating husband.

Deceased dog.

Planned date.

Plane sex in the bathrooms. (My lips turned down into a frown at this. Didn't need to go to the bathroom in the first place anyway.)

There was a couple in the very back of the plane having a hushed argument about colors of draperies. Of all things. Draperies.

I allowed myself to fall into a state of semi-consciousness.

"He's deciding how he's going to ask."

…

"What's wrong?"

"It's not wrong. It's right. They're deliberating, but they've decided to tell him no."

….

"They're interested in him; they think his talent could be useful. They're going to offer him a place with him."

…

"This is the first good news the first break. They're intrigued; they truly don't want to destroy him. 'Wasteful', that's the word Aro will use and that may be enough to force him to get creative. The longer he spends on his plans, the better for us."

….

"He's going to keep it simple. He's just going to walk out into the sun."

I jerked back into full consciousness when the pilot turned on the intercom announced in French and English, our landing.

I sat up in my seat, lips clenched together and back ramrod straight.

"How strongly are you opposed to grand theft auto?"

I only gave a small smirk in Alice's direction. As if I would be riding with them.

Walking out the airport with them I nonchalantly left Bella at the sidewalk and made way to the sign that held my alias's name on it. Next to the parked taxi, there was a brand new black Yamaha bike. I ducked into the taxi and immediately began stripping off clothing. The woman behind the wheel was brushing on make-up and generally not paying attention to me.

Her arm picked up a garment bag and hung it on the passenger's seat. Then she went back to applying eyeshadow. I wiggled off all clothing but underwear and tore into the garment bag. My breath caught slightly at the black leather jumpsuit held within and I hurriedly rip it off the hanger and struggle to put it on in the limits confines of the backseat.

Once everything was on and and fitted to my skin like a glove, the woman gently put a set of flat thigh high boots on the seat and I threw those on too. Lastly, she gave me my helm and a hair tie and I nodded wordlessly and threw myself out of the taxi.

I heard some wolf whistles upon which I paid no attention to and shoved my hair into a ponytail and adorned the helmet. Immediately Chloe's voice was in my ear.

"Do you read, Portia. We have confirmed site of target at the main plaza in vicinity of the clock tower in Florence, Italy. Oh my god, Portia, this shit is so much fun. Girl you better be getting thousands of dollars worth of gifts AND sex if you're going this far."

I growled, throwing a leg over the bike and finding the key nestled in the ignition. Turning it, I revved the engine loudly kicked the stand back and shot out fro the parking space.

"Your beacon is moving. You're going to take the exit to your left to get to the highway and you're going to stay on that highway until I tell you so."

I tuned everything out, jerking the my wrist as far back as it can go to gain speed and fly down the highway. Chloe was blabbering about something or other, but it did give me something to listen to other than my own thoughts.

Chloe barked. " Take this exit, NOW!" I skillfully swerved across two lanes to the chagrin of other cars to make it to the exit and I only put on more speed going up the ramp. " Left."

I gasped for breath, staring at the ancient walls and towers of Volterra.

"Portia, it's going to take some highly acrobatic skill on that bike to get you to your lover boy. Volterra is extremely hilly with narrow streets and even narrower alleyways upon which I'm giving you the fastest way to get to boy toy.

I grinned, all teeth as I pressed my body closer to the bike to make myself more streamlined.

"Challenge accepted, and for fuck's sake, he is not my boy toy, boyfriend, lover boy, lover, or anything!"

I only heard a snort from her end and I angrily increased the speed to 170 mph.


	20. Chapter 20

§Author's Warning: Disturbing descriptions of violence. Read at your own risk.

§§ Author's Apologies: It has been a very long time since I've updated, and I apologize for this. I seemed to have been forcing myself to write sometimes, and I cannot have that at all. My work would not have been my best. I believe it's been almost half a year since my last chapter, and I definitely apologize for that again. I'm going to finish this series, if it takes 1 month, 2 months, 1 year, or 5 years. It will be done. All 4 books, and then some if I fill I have prompts and extra little spin-offs. With that said, please do head the warning above. It's there for a reason. Those that have waited a long time for this chapter may have to reread the story again. It has been a while.

"You do know that there is a festival going on, right? Volterra is heavily congested with cars and tourists. There's a road block ahead, you're going to have to take that sharp right to bypass that."

The damn annoying woman continued to chatter, ranging all topics. From nail polish to the latest scandal in Singapore. As if I listened to the news at all.

"Another road block, take this next left, and in twenty meters you can take a left. Oh and by the way you're getting close to the center of the festival. It's the St. Marcus Day festival."

A clatter of nails against keyboard and Chloe reads from Wikipedia, most likely.

" March 19th, this day is celebrated for the removal of vampires from Volterra a long, long time ago." She smacks her gum, and I'm screeching to a halt when there is literally a mass of bright, vivid red.

I search the center of the mass, hastily parking the cycle and surveying the courtyard. A huge fountain rests in the center of the mob and there are too many branching alleyways to search through from my spot sitting here.

In a mass of all red, black would definitely be spotted. I disconnect from Chloe with a thank you and am almost overwhelmed by the smells, sounds, and sights of the festival.

The red of the cloaks are almost too blood-like; the sounds of laughter, chatter, and life are almost too loud; the scents of food, life, and happiness almost burned my nose. I choke back a cough and turn away from the sense overload only to almost run into a short gypsy-like individual.

"Oh holy shit! Please ma'am, do not sneak up on me."

The old woman is unapologetic, but she does gesture to me and I reluctantly follow her, my ears opened to the fullest amount that I could handle.

A small shabby stand overflowing with city wares and trinkets is where she leads me to.

It's extremely colorful. There was shivers running up and down my spine as I followed her inside the stand.

She hands me a very long, red cloak; very similar to the ones outside. And she hands me a golden cross.

Without a word, sound or peep. I stare at her, my mouth opening and closing several times before she smiles, her teeth brilliantly straight and white and she pats my back, murmuring in a very ancient sounding language. Something I couldn't decipher. She gestured wildly, looking far too amused at me while I reluctantly shook out the cloak and wrapped it around my form. It was incredibly long, sweeping the back of my ankles with every step. And the old woman placed the necklace around my neck herself, chanting something comforting, and old in that language of hers.

The warmth of the cross slipped beneath the suit and she starts pushing me out of the stand a great smile on her face.

She literally shooed me away when I tried to pay her for the items, and she frowned and turned away, to help her next customer.

I stood, floored by the fountain, in plain sight. Yet hidden by the gorgeous cloth of red that concealed my identity.

I could not be seen by the Volturi. I could not even think to be seen. My breaths in contrast to my thoughts were relaxed and even. Inhale. Exhale.

Could I directly confront Edward Cullen?

No.

They old vampires were surely watching Edward's every move. Waiting in the darkness to pounce him.

The clock struck its half hour and I turned in the direction of Bella Swan's scent. It was almost noon.

•◘○

I supposed that I cut an imposing figure in the crowd. Almost six feet tall, donned in a red that was highly reminiscent of blood. I didn't quite get a large berth, but I did not get anyone brushing against me, or did I get anyone stepping on my toes.

The hood was up, effectively shielding my face and hair. I watched as Bella tripped her way across the fountain and emerging on the other side to sprint at a specific alleyway.

My heart was in my throat.

_I can't. I just can't._

I couldn't breathe. I couldn't even move in that direction.

I couldn't look at him at all.

I barely breathed as I heard Bella scream his name.

With my hearing, I was able to hear the entire conversation.

Including the awed noises of a small child trying to get the attentions of her parents to look at something.

I immediately slid closer to the family, being sure to keep my back to Cullen and asked brightly.

"Hello! I'm Portia. I can't find my dad anywhere. I'm afraid I lost him. But he did say I'm free to join in the festivities and roam around if we did get lost."

The family welcomed me with open arms and questions about where I was staying and all that sort of supercilious facts.

I was swept up into festivities for nearly an hour before the family signed up for a tour of the ancient castle.

I of course was invited to join, and I did.

I had a horrible feeling about this though.

•◘○

My heart was in my throat as we joined a large group of tourists. I wasn't paying attention to any of the historical qualities of the paintings, sculptures, or designs, but I was staring hard at the tour guides and people working at the desks.

Something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong.

We were guided into a throne room, of sorts and my back stiffened as I caught the sound of locks sliding into place.

I breathed out, shakily as I pulled up the hood and desired myself into invisibility.

I carefully distanced myself from the large group of people, chattering excitedly. A few were looking around suspiciously, as their bodies were probably telling them something was wrong as well.

_Oh god, no. They're all doomed, aren't they? There's nothing I can even do! If I could even take on an ancient, I couldn't handle more than one._

It was too late for them, I held a hand to my mouth as I backed into a corner, paralyzed by sudden terror. Shit, I couldn't panic. I can't panic, but this was going to be so bad. No... they shouldn't be able to get away with this at all.

I swallowed compulsively, stomach working to keep the food digested where it was.

The windows were suddenly covered and it fell ominously dark around the room.

People were beginning to react to their instincts now. Forever an animal, there are instincts we cannot ignore. There was a pain filled hush. A couple murmurs about the tour: did people really think this was a part of the tour? Old castles have no reasons for being this dramatic.

My eyes had immediately accommodated accordingly, and I was able to see the first kill of the slaughtering that took place in the throne room.

A child. A god damn child. I heard with detail the crack of the vertebrate and the last breath, and the scream that was cut short.

My back slammed into the corner, hands slapping to my mouth as I stared in horror as several vampires descended on the innocent humans.

That very first kill almost made me vomit.

Some vampires played with their food, biting from several major arteries. Letting the humans bleed out a little before draining them dry.

Some vampires were thankfully merciful, if that, and made clean breaks before drinking their fills. There were less sounds of bone breaking.

There was barely enough time to scream. Kids, women, men, everyone. No one was spared as the monsters drained everyone dry. Those who tried to run in the dark were pursued. Like they had a chance at escaping.

The vampires methodically drained the humans. With passion. They were having fun with this. There was nothing sensuous about it, yet at the same time, there was.

They were cold and yet not lifeless as they fed

The entire group of humans, over 100 individuals were killed. Most weren't clean deaths.

I bit my lip hard to stave off the sobs, turning my head to the wall as I heard every single scream and thud, bodies hitting the floor.

I was shaking. Terror, anger, fear, horror, disgust, _shock._

It did not escape me how ironic this was, St. Marcus's day: and vampires were slaughtering tourists like cattle.

I was aware that the bodies were quickly being piled up, neatly, in a space. A space very close to me, and I was jerking back against the wall, nearly upending the contents of my stomach and I turned away, body facing the corner, shaking so very hard. No noise was escaping my mouth as both hands were pressed to my lips.

I heard the windows being uncovered. And the bodies incinerated a room away. Several individuals with beating hearts were cleaning the massacre that was the throne room and not even an hour after the bloodshed, the room was quiet, but for the murmurings of the vampires in charge.

" The Cullen boy is on his way here. It seems as if a human has stopped him from revealing our existence." A sickening sweet voice traveled to my ears.

" Oh, she is quite brave! What a shame it would have been to kill all those innocent humans."

A couple of chuckles came from the direction of the thrones.

§


	21. Chapter 21

**Jesus it has been a very long time. I hope you guys are somehow still following these Chronicles of Alyson because I still intend to finish this. Somehow. Before I die.**

The leader sighed, examining his nails like he had something better to do. "What shall we do with the mind-reader and his human pet?"

I turned around to stare at them, silently urging them to talk more.

The one with the high brow, and long dark brown hair relaxed on his throne. " I do believe you are just toying with them Caius. Has it been so long that you have to recruit new amusements?"

The red-head, presumably Caius, snorts. " I am not playing with them, as you so assume, Aro. It is rather you. Why not kill the entire coven with their backwards ways? Would it not be more efficient?"

The other vampire leader is silent in his chair, most likely ignoring the other two.

Aro tilts his head back and laughs. " No! My dear, Caius. We shall see what this coven offers. They have a delectable set of powers. As of the human, we shall give an ultimatum. We are not so barbaric as to waste such powerful gifts."

I rolled my eyes towards the high ceiling, breath quivering in its relief. I stepped away from the wall, legs weak with sustained tension and immobility.

"Of course we shall keep an eye on them all, lest they do step outside of our laws." Aro's tone of voice scrubbed me the wrong way.

A guard opened the door giving a short and quick warning to the three leaders.

I sprint across the room and through the door before it closed, just barely allowing the last folds of the red cloak to slip through.

With that bare escape, I retraced the way I came in to get out. And as I did, I passed the entourage of Bella, _Cullen_, Alice and their guards. Goosebumps raised on my arm from where I passed by _Cullen,_ having to squeeze by lest I be discovered. There was an incoming tour and my heart ached as I slid past them to exit the front door. Their fate sucked, to be frank.

As soon as I was on the flight back to New York, USA, I locked myself in the bathroom and collapsed on the floor.

So many things hit me at once.

I would have some amazing nightmares for months.

I just saw several people get mercilessly _slaughtered _like animals.

The Volt-whatever they are had to be stopped _somehow._

Seeing _him _had hurt, so, so bad, after weeks and weeks of recovery.

Seeing _him and her_ together caused some anger somewhere.

I was apparently forgotten again.

A soft knock on the door and a pleasant voice filtered through it. " Are you alright sweetie? Do you need any ginger ale or crackers?" A flight attendant.

Oh fucking hell, I just wanted to be held right now.

I opened the door and tried to look as pitiful as I could. " I don't feel so hot right now.. I'm going through some rough times." A completely involuntary sniffle escaped me and I bit my lip hard so as not to completely lose composure

.

The flight attendant immediately took me to the front seatof the empty first class and sat me down.

"Oh sweetheart...I bet it's guy troubles."

Her shot wasn't far off the mark either.

"No, I've just had .. a horrid day, it's alright." I collapsed onto her shoulder trying to hold back tears.

By the time I got back to Seattle, I had two phone numbers, one from Meredith the flight attendant, one from her friend flight attendant that sat with me and basically cuddled with me during the connector flight. It … felt nice. But not as nice as Edward cuddl- shit.

I missed my fucking best friend.


	22. Chapter 22

I felt bone tired, steps dragging as we were cleared off the plane.

I was hardly surprised to see Carlisle and Esme standing up front and center for the reception area.

My composure almost melted off my face, I was that tired and that glad to see them.

The splash of red that was my cloak from the Marcus festival was improperly folded against my chest, my bike-riding suit sticking out from the common of hoodies and jeans or sweatpants.

Esme took one look at my face and surrounded me with a hug.

Okay, I lost it.

My knees buckled and she took all my weight as I started crying into her neck. Cloak falling to the ground, small carry on dropping on top of it spilling its contents everywhere.

Just like my life. Falling apart at the seams.

I was so scared. I was so angry. I was upset. I was hurt. I was in pain. I was anxious and depressed and pissed off.

Somehow Esme sensed that all and opened up the valve that contained my emotions.

Shamelessly, I let it all out on the airport floor, enveloped in Esme's arms for the first ten minutes and then she passed me off to Carlisle who scooped me up bridle style and carried me off towards the exit, height be damned, onlookers be damned; He didn't give a shit, I didn't give a shit, Esme didn't give a shit. I know this isn't the first time they've seen tears and messy emotions.

Carlisle allowed me to snuggle into his neck, though I tried protesting a little bit. " My..things.."

"Esme is gathering them." He sighs very softly. "We have to wait for the others. Their flight should be here in a few more hours."

I could do nothing but close my eyes in helplessness and defeat.

A sharp pain bloomed in my chest and I struggled against Carlisle. " I.. I can't see him- them right now. I can't. I won't." I whispered hoarsely. "Please. I can't..."

I know I sounded pathetic even to my ears.

I didn't hear the conversation going on around me, but before I knew it awareness seeped back into my consciousness and I was laid out in the backseat of Carlisle's car, Esme driving it and Emmett and Rosalie having a hushed conversation as they surround me.

I tried to stay awake but as soon as I saw any resemblance of Forks, Washington, I felt a sting in my side. My head sagged to the side to see that Rosalie was carefully disposing of a container of a very strong sedative.

"Wh-..whythe-sed-sed..?"

I collapsed against Emmett, completely gone in a sleep so deep I could not dream. Thank God.


	23. Chapter 23

I fell off the couch, with a loud thump, scaring me awake. I blinked harshly against the bright light of the sun through the windows of the Cullen residence and I froze.

I tried to get to my feet but I kept falling from wobbly limbs and I definitely felt like a new born colt or doe or something.

I yelped when I was scooped, once again, into strong arms, this time Emmett's and deposited on the couch. His face was as serious as I've ever seen.

I tried to clear my throat, my tongue feeling heavy and dry in my mouth. "Whe-" I couldn't finish the word, let alone sentence.

Esme flowed in with a tray full of food and a steaming mug of what smelled like Mint tea.

"Eat and drink before speaking." She commanded, setting the beautiful spread down upon my lap.

I stared at her helplessly, not really understanding.

Her beautiful face was marbled into a frown. She went into lecture mode.

"Eat! I have no idea on earth why you would willingly go into the clutches of a notoriously dangerous coven like the Volturi!" Not only are they the oldest vampires, but they have a huge following of 'minions' that could easily kill a beautiful young lady like yourself! Not only have you completely disregarded the health of yourself, but you tried to follow someone that was doomed to his self-served suffering to save him!"

My fork fell onto its plate with a small clink and I stared up at her incredulously. Esme was chewing me out.

"We don't know why you would endanger yourself like that! Sweetheart! You are a human! Volturi are the powerful vampires! Not even vampire best friends would take on the Volturi for each other's sake! Young lady I am highly disappointed in you! Oh sweetheart. Carlisle and I were worried for all of our children, not only Edward, Bella, and Alice. When we lost contact with you, we almost ran across the continent and swam across the Atlantic to tear into the Volterra ourselves, rules be damned. I just.. I care about you ,I love you as if you were one of my own. In fact, you are a Cullen in everything but name. Alyson, do not ever do that again, do you hear me?"

My eyes were wide as I just nodded in speechlessness. I almost expected to be grounded.

Carlisle walked in, folding his arms around Esme as she shook in almost hysterics.

"Alyson, no car for two months, you are expected to be either at Charlie's, here, or at the office for those two months, and your grades had better improve, young lady."

The two walked away, bodies held stiff and she stared at the spot they were at.

I began in a small voice. " Emmett. Did they just _ground _me?"

Emmett didn't laugh. " I would have ground you too."

Rosalie strode in, graceful as ever and perched on my other side. She had an overnight bag in her hand. "Here, put these on, and clean yourself up. The _lovebirds_ are coming over right now to 'vote' for turning Bella into a vampire or not." She sneered, her attractive face pulling into something disproving.

I looked at her in panic. " I can't be here!" I almost started tearing up.

"Did you not just hear Esme. You're family now. You get a vote too." She shoves the bag in my hands, removes the tray and pushes me off the couch. "Now go. They're already on their way."

~Next Chapter: Confrontations!


	24. Chapter 24

It was while I was in the shower that I heard _them. _

My body froze; my mind froze; I didn't notice until I was on the floor, that I was hyperventilating, crying, and wheezing. I couldn't! I couldn't face them. It hurt. It hurt so much. Pain blossomed into my chest again and I curled into myself wishing I could just disappear.

Ha.

It's my gift.

I had no choice at the moment but to show my face. I was part of the family. I had to welcome _the couple _home.

I forced myself up to turn off the water and stood still, staring into space as water dripped off my form. I took a shaky breath and dried off, numb.

Numb. Underwear on. Tank top, sweat pants. Wet hair dried as much as possible with an extra towel.

Exeunt bathroom.

Stare at the wall as I tune out the conversation. _His _voice mixing in with the others.

I couldn't. I can't. Pain again.

I desire myself invisible again and pry open a window.

I'm in the woods running before I know it, trees and surroundings blurring past my eyes so fast.

Minutes? Maybe Hours? Perhaps seconds later my body gives out and I stumble into a tree, sobs forced out of my throat again.

FUCK!

I can't do this, I can't. I can't face him. His removal from my life was at a horrible place in history for me. My heart was afraid to let him back in. He wouldn't just be my best friend, he would be Bella's boyfriend and my heart wanted to be the center of his world right now. To heal. To correct this.

I just can't watch them be happy when _he_ broke my heart like this.

I can't.

But I want my best friend back... is that too much to ask for?

I sat slumped against the tree for several hours, thinking about everything and nothing.

I figured that I better return to civilization before the pack, the coven, or the police decide to sweep the forest for me and I stand up, stumbling to regain feeling in the lower half of my body before supporting myself on the tree.

I turned around and came face to muzzle with a giant wolf.

My body became electrified with adrenaline and I did the only thing I thought of.

I turned to wolf form, challengingly.


	25. Chapter 25

**Oh my god guys this is the last chapter before the epilogue(s). There may be multiple epilogues!**

A very familiar voice shouted in my mind making me rear back and flail against the tree, whining.

_**ALYSON?!**_

FUCK Jacob's loud! How the hell?!

_**It's a mind link. Just think your reply.**_

I snorted

_**Then stop being a loud-fuck. It hurts.**_

_**Well, I'm soooorrrryy! I didn't mean to be loud, you just phased in front of me! How was I supposed to react?!**_

I snuffed, sprawling on the forest floor.

_**How's Emily? I didn't mean to, um, rough her up.**_

Jacob stayed standing and loomed over me. Ha he wasn't that intimidating.

_**Her scar healed. Oh fuck, you're in huge trouble Alyson. Or rather you were. But since somehow your saliva healed Emily's scars you're not in as much trouble. The elders are going to want to talk to you and everything but Sam is on your side, dude. As is Emily of course, the entire pack and pack girts are too.**_

I don't feel like dealing with anybody. For the day. For the rest of the week. For the rest of my life.

Jacob's nose nudges mine playfully.

_**By the way, where did you guys go? Charlie was just about going mad because you and Bella were gone.**_

I snarled and leaped up, stalking away from the oaf.

_**No fucking comment. I don't want to talk about it.**_

I got the impression of surprise.

I gave him the impression of exhaustion.

I turned back to humanoid form and cursed when I found that clothes didn't phase with me.

"Fuck it all!" I growled and just stumped back towards Charlie's scent.

Eventually Jacob stopped following and I was able to sneak into my room by carefully breaking in and invisibly making my way to my room.

It was as if it didn't change.

Well we _were _only gone for approximately three days.

It felt like we were gone for months. I walked into my room and just put on a large t-shirt and underwear, too lazy for anything else.

I heard Edward and Bella talking from her room (super-duper sonic hearing, remember).

I pressed a palm to my chest to ease the pain before a flash of blood red caught my eye.

My Marcus festival cloak was cleaned and repaired, and the bag of stuff was returned.

I went out on a hunch and figured Edward delivered my stuff. I wanted to burn the shit immediately.

And then I realized my phone was in the little bag and I took it out and flipped through the texts.

Several from Charlie.

Several from Jacob.

Several from Carlisle and Esme.

A few from Billy.

One from Emily.

I wanted to crush the little plastic thing, but I didn't and I set it down forcefully, breathing hard.

Their conversation was a murmuring in my peripheral hearing as I went downstairs to get a glass of water.

As I was nursing a glass, I closed my eyes and listened to the heavy snoring of Charlie, the almost silent whisperings of wind in trees, and the hum of kitchen appliances.

And then.

"You'll just have to meet one condition: Marry me first."

The glass slipped out of my hand and shattered at my feet in a spectacular display of liquid and silicon shards.


	26. Chapter 26

Continuation of Chapter 25:

But before we go there, here's an Author's Note. I am so so so sorry for just up and leaving. I'm a college student and a Biology so please shoot me now. Please. The work load is enormous. Here we go, let's try to knock book two out in one go?

My body had frozen. Did I just hallucinate? Did I really just hear that? Water pooled at my feet, gently shifting shards of glass against my skin. I felt cold again. Just existing at that moment. The feeling where the ball hasn't dropped yet and you're waiting for it and you don't know whether to laugh hysterically or cry hysterically?

From upstairs, there was a silence before Bella spoke again, her voice a faint, stuttering thing. " Yes. Edward, yes."

I was not jealous. No. I saw that this couple was extremely bad for each other. The way things were right now, after he just fucking got back from a suicide attempt, that this relationship was destructive. Why?!

_Fucking, motherfucking bitching hell! Why?! Why would they do this to me and Charlie and the rest of the Cullens?_

The sound of wet flesh on flesh tickled my ears and I shakily started to clean up my mess.

Unsurprisingly, both Bella and I were grounded with a limitation of visiting hours for friends. School resumed much as it had before, while I was allowed to go to the cheer leading practices only.

Jacob continued to text as well as Emily, strangely. Because of the removal of privileges, I wasn't able to visit with the tribe's Elders like they wanted. Of course, Jacob and Emily had begged Charlie that it was just to "hang out in La Push". But rules are rules. That was a can of worms that I wanted to open in the most future of future.

It was hard to explain my sudden inclination to eat meat a bit more rare then usual. It curbed the _hunger _just barely. I wasn't going to lie to myself. There was a slim chance that I could get away with being a vampire, let alone a shifter. If either side were to find out, shit would hit the fan. Hard. Could I pretend to be a normal human? Hell yes. Due to the growth spurts and slight changes to my musculature, I could get away with calling it puberty.

As for Charlie, his blood pressure was regulating. He thought that his keeping us grounded really punished us. I knew for a fact that Edward would come back to Bella's room and suck face with her for hours on end when he was asleep. As for me, I would probably pass him by as I went out on a weekly run through the forest. Definitely sneaking out as a human and running human speed until I was far enough away to get away with killing a rabbit or something small. It's not as if I needed a lot to drink. Disgusting, but a necessity. Human food wouldn't keep me satiated for that long. Going hunting for small mammals wasn't that difficult. Presenting Charlie with rabbit or other meat a few times of week made him think that I liked to hunt in the human way. I only grinned when he made that remark.

So yes, school resumed; cheer-leading became more and more competitive; Bella's friends started to get over their fear of her and Bella as a couple together, and talk to her again. They started opening up to me too for some reason, I don't know. I was able to make up the tests that I missed because the teachers and I were close-knit. In Biology, I had both of my lab partners back. All in all, it was as normal as it could get for school. Carlisle is still my boss at the hospital and pretty much a second father figure making sure that I applied to the colleges that I could, even going as far as taking care of application fees. That man has a gorgeous soul.

On a Saturday, after having been done with cheer practice, I was visiting Bella's workplace.. .with Edward.

We were tucked somewhat away from the rush hour tables and sitting quietly. I was staring at him and he was staring at me.

His voice was quiet and subdued. " I wish to thank you for taking care of Bella as much as you did because I was not there..." He trailed off to look away for a moment. His graceful hands played with his untouched cup of coffee and then folded themselves neatly on the edge of the table. "Alice told me that she saw you jump in after Bella on that cliff..."

I closed my eyes taking a slow, deep breath in before releasing it. " I did what I could for her... I … She wasn't herself for this entire semester. _I _wasn't myself for this entire semester. Edward, my parents died right before you decided to leave!" I whisper-yelled. I couldn't help but tear up. This weight on my chest became unbearable and I couldn't help but to let it spill over. " I had multiple breaks in one leg, a couple dozen metal pins in my leg and a full leg cast when you called to tell me you couldn't see me again! Do you know what that did to me?! I had _no one! _No one to lean or cry on. No shoulder to have lent to me to mourn with to help carry the burden. Edward, you're my best fucking friend, and you _abandoned _me. Everything just hit me at once and it was _so_ hard to recover from those blows." I was breathing hard, leaning on the table and I sit back with a thump on the back of the seat. I inhale raggedly and exhale shakily. There were tears running down my cheeks and I couldn't even _look _at him. I chose to look at his hands. His gorgeous hands. " You were..._are_...my best friend, Edward. I don't hang out with any other person, girl, or otherwise. You are for all reasons and purposes, the largest part of my world. And you _left_ me that shitty excuse. I just can't.. I.." I buried my face in my hands and mumbled through them, knowing that he can hear my words perfectly clearly. " I don't know if I can forgive you just yet. You broke my... trust." This conversation was draining me, sucking the soul out of me. I was finished with my coffee a long time ago. My hand snaked out to grab his and I took a deep refreshing gulp of it and set it back. I finally glanced up to look into Edward's eyes.

Edward was silent for long minutes. He finally placed his hands palm up on the table and beckoned for mine. I slowly placed my own long fingers into his hands and he brought them up to his face and just rested his forehead on them, silently. For another few minutes, I waited with a burden that was slowly lifting from my heart.

He finally whispered in a hoarse voice, very unlike his normal speaking voice. " I value our friendship. You do not know how refreshing and relieving it is to have a friend outside of the Cullen family who has no reservations about who and what we are. You keep me, all of us down to earth. You are extremely valuable in my life, Alyson. I will never take that for granted again. I am sorry. "

I had my eyes closed while my mind and heart were battling upon what to do. Our hands were still glued together, his grip soft yet firm so as not to hurt me. I finally let out a soft sigh that was too much like a sob, as my heart finally won. I leaned forward so that my own forehead rested against his hands, mere centimeters from his face.

"My heart says to forgive. I can't ignore it, Edward. I forgive you, just please. Please know that I'm going to take some time to recover. You may have my forgiveness, but my trust is not there yet. You can't throw gifts at me like that blasted car and expect me to forget about this." His cool breathe wreathed across my face and I inhaled deeply through my nose, chasing the scent of peppermint.

"I vow to never hurt you again, Alyson," Edward whispered in a voice strained with emotion.

I chuckled, bumping my lips against his knuckles softly. I'm not sure why I did. We were already acting extremely intimate. " You better not..."

On our way home, Edward driving, Bella in front passenger's seat, I was listening to my music on a very soft setting. While the couple talked, I was occupied with texting a few friends.

I didn't know something was going on until Bella screeched in fear. "My dad?!" I glanced up, startled, looking around and out the windows to notice that we parked in the shade of trees past Charlie's house. As I scanned the Col-De-Sac for anything like danger, a flash of red caught my attention and my eyes honed in on the finely made motorcycle that belonged to Bella.

"No! No! NO! Why would Jacob do this to me?" Bella wailed, freaking out about Charlie's reaction.

I couldn't say anything myself. Charlie already knew about both my modes of transportation and that I had a license to drive both.

"Tell him it's mine." I spoke up, digging ear phones from my ears and carefully wrapping them around the mp3 player. I grabbed my backpack and went to open the door. The click of a lock snapping down sounded and I turned to gaze at Edward in confusion.

"He already told Charlie that it's hers," Edward gave me stern look and I gave one back.

"What? I've a license to legally drive a motorcycle. I have one myself."

"Okay, everyone shut up! Charlie is pissed off at us and I need to think about what to do- Is Jacob still here?" She hissed, demanding an immediate answer.

I pinpoint him at the mouth of a little path. I reach across Edward to unlock the doors giving him a small smirk before exiting the car. I guess our relationship was slowly returning to six-months-ago-normal.

"Let me go! I'm going to _murder _him! That traitor!" Bella shouts from behind me and regardless of the situation I found that incredibly hilarious.

"Charlie will hear you! And once he gets you inside, he may brick over the doorway to keep you in forever."

I tuned them out, heading towards Jacob. My eyes were staring into his, a question in them. I hesitantly spoke quietly, doubtless that it was quiet enough for Edward not to hear. "This was an asshole move, you know?"

Jacob snorted, ignoring me, to glare over my shoulder at the couple slowly making their way towards us.

My eyes closed. "Fine. I'll be inside, this conversation isn't for me, obviously. I'll keep Charlie off your ass for now." I turned to give a somewhat dark look towards Bella before stalking to the house. Why is it? Every time something goes down, I am left out?

I'm here! It's not like I'm invis-.

I choked on my breath, trying to either laugh or cry but not both. Oh, the irony. Turning invisible as a vampiric ability? I already felt invisible seeing as the Diva was the center of everyone's world it seemed like.

I opened the door and closed it behind me softly to lean against it as if my strings had been cut from a marionette. I didn't notice Charlie standing in front of me until he sighed and enfolded me into a hug. "You'll know what I'm seeing when you're older. It's obvious to me because I'm an old goat, but you young one need experience under your belt before your eyes will open. Sweetheart, I think everything's going to turn out right in the end either way for you." I didn't know what the hell he was talking about, but his hug and words were comforting.

"You're a beautiful young lady; sooner or later one guy is going to realize it." I snorted, realization dawning on me very slightly.

"I'm not jealous of Bella, Charlie. She's playing with the hearts of my two best friends. Either one or both is going to hurt when she's done with them. If she's done with them ever. It's hurting _me. It hurts so bad, _Charlie." I whisper, heart heavy and tears about to spill from my eyes.

"It'll get better, I promise you, and speaking of Bella," Charlie opened the front door wide and yelled. " BELLA YOU GET IN THIS HOUSE THIS INSTANT!"

Everything including the forest was silent for a good minute. I straightened, pushing my shoulders back and lifting my head to give a small smirk at Charlie. " Don't go too hard on her, Charlie. She was an adrenaline addict outside of the depression."

His eyebrows furrowed and I shrugged turning to go upstairs to my room where I could lock myself in and sleep for ten years. I was tired and emotionally drained.

"BELLA, I SEE HIS CAR AND I KNOW YOU'RE OUT THERE! IF YOU AREN'T INSIDE THIS HOUSE IN ONE MINUTE . . ."I heard Charlie bellow out the front door before I shut my own door and leaned against it.

_Save him, Alyson. You have to save him. _

_But he's right there in Bella's arms! What am I supposed to be saving him fr-_

__El Fin_

AN: Another one. Okay so I seriously completed this in under two days and it took me about a year to come back to this story. I really do want to finish this. Epilogue(s)? Maybe just one.


	27. Chapter 27

Epilogue:

I pulled up to Charlie's place, gravel barely making a sound as the Dodge smoothly handled the terrain. Before I could take my gym bag and get out, the passenger's side door opened and in dropped Jacob Black.

I sighed and left the key in the ignition turning to him. "We're going to see the Elders. I'm sure Charlie wouldn't mind."

I sighed glancing down at what I was wearing. Sports bra, tank top combination, and cheer shorts. I was sweaty, scratched, dirty and bruised. "Fine, whatever. Let's get this over with. You'll have to give me directions."

Pulling out of the driveway, my fingers clenched against the steering wheel. I was getting nervous. Why? Because my future was in the Elder's hands. I didn't want to stay on one side of that damn boundary line. The same line that would show up in dreams. It got annoying.

I said nothing. Jacob said nothing but had a thunderous expression on his face. "You're in love with that girl..." She kept her eyes on the road, though they narrowed. I didn't dare tell him that they were getting married. That was not my business and also that would probably destroy the Native.

"Do you know what imprinting is?"

"I assume I'll know when I speak with our Elders." I replied, shifting up a gear as the road turned into dirt. I sighed heavily already making future plans to wash the car.

::::

br/br

How ironic is it that we were meeting on the beach? Where this entire mess first started.

It was hot enough that many were swimming. There was more than one grill fired up and heaped with hot dogs and meat patties. I saw the Elders and Sam in a semi circle of chairs or wheelchairs.

The circle honed their sharp eyes on me all at once. I, refusing to back down, pushed my shoulders back and head up and nodded to them. I stood in the gap of the semi-circle and waited, refusing to give into nervous tendencies.

"Quill Ateara III." The oldest male with glasses introduced himself giving me a firm nod of approval.

"Billy Black. But you already know me." Jacob's father gave me a nod as well.

"Sam Uley." The leader gave a curt nod and looked away.

"Alyson Porter." I perched on a nearby log and glanced around making an effort to hide my nervousness.

Mr. Ateara III, led the discussion. "We've noticed your change in height, Miss Alyson. Is everything going well?"

I gave a single nod. "Yes, the _change_ has been dramatic. Puberty can be troublesome."

The three council members exchanged meaningful looks before Mr. Black took over. "As you know, there is a border that was signed upon over three hundred years ago. However, if we don't tell you that you are of the Quilete tribe and have the necessary genes to phase, then you can freely cross the border without breaking treaty."

The others nodded. Sam stood and yanked her to her feet so that he could hug her tightly. "I'm not supposed to say 'Welcome to the Pack'." I laughed and hugged him back, almost melting.

It felt extremely good to be able to be a part of isomething/i. I mean the cheer leading was great and all, but I barely knew anyone on the team. Here though. Here was family. Here was iPack/i

FINALLY DONE WITH BOOK 2. FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY!

Book 3: coming soon. . .


End file.
